Al Jazzer says one of its journalists
and photographers, Muhammad Somala, is
among 15 people killed by an Israeli
strike on a hospital in Gaza. There's
reports that other journalists were also
killed in the attack. We're working just
to confirm that line for you. Meanwhile,
Israel's military and prime minister's
office both say they have no immediate
comment. We're going to go live now to
Professor Nick Maynard who has been
working at the NASA hospital in Gaza a
few weeks ago. Um, Professor, what can
you tell us about what we're hearing
today? You were there a few weeks ago at
the NASA hospital. Tell us about the
establishment, what it's like.
>> What's happening now is barbarism in the
extreme. I I I left NASA just about four
weeks ago. Um this is it's been bombed
several times in the last um 22 months.
Uh this is as bad as any. 15 people have
been killed. Four journalists we've
heard about. Medical students have been
killed. Security people have been
killed. Um it is it is murder. These are
war crimes killing innocent civilians.
Um, and it is as barbaric as anything I
have seen in Gaza over the last 22
months.
>> Professor, you mentioned there that it
has been targeted several times. How
does staff and how did yourself indeed
continue to treat people uh while this
bombardment continued?
>> The the staff, the Garen healthc care
staff and all the other staff in the
hospital are the most heroic,
inspirational people I have ever met in
my life. They've been there 22 months.
Every single day their lives have been
in danger. But they carry on working to
save the lives of their of of of their
fellow gardens. It is quite remarkable
how they managed to do that. I was there
in my most recent trip for 4 weeks. Um
and how they have sustained this for 22
months is beyond belief. But they stay
there. They stay there to treat their
civilian their their their countrymen
despite the fact they have been bombed
several times. I've spoken to doctors
who who have been incarcerated in
Israeli prisons, who've been tortured
daily for months at a time and the
minute they're released, they come back
to work because that is their duty to do
so. They are utterly inspirational
heroes.
Professor, have you been able to contact
anyone from the hospital this morning?
>> Yes, I'm getting messages repeatedly.
The doctors I have know so well are not
replying to their messages undoubtedly
because they are treating the injured uh
uh the the other I mean there many
injured people are quite apart from the
15 people who've been killed. I've been
regular contact with other health care
staff there. We know that MAP, the the
the charity I work closely with in Gaza,
had uh 15 staff members, including two
British people on the ground. They have
all been safely evacuated. I'm getting
live updates by the minute from people
in the hospital um updating about the
injuries. There were two strikes, the
so-called the typical double strike that
the Israelis use frequently. Um, and as
I said, the current tally is 15 deaths,
but it may well be we'll hear more about
that.
>> And and just talk us through as a
doctor, your main concern is to treat
the injured, but while you're under
bombardment from missiles, from attack,
h how do you continue to to work,
continue to try to save lives?
>> Uh, you you just concentrate on the job
in hand. Um, as I said, they've been
doing it for 22 months. I've been
working in these hospitals whilst the
hospitals are being bombed. You have to
concentrate on your job. You're there
for one reason only and to to help
people and you you get into the in in
into the mood where you just concentrate
on what you're doing regardless of
what's going on around you.
>> Okay. Um Dr. Professor Maynard, it's
we're getting pictures obviously um and
breaking lines um from Gaza at the
moment, but I just your thoughts to your
colleagues as we leave this hour. What
would it be?
>> Uh my love to all of you. I I understand
what you're going through. You have huge
support over here. I I my I know from
all my colleagues and friends who've
been out in Gaza, everyone is watching
what's going on at the moment. Everyone
is feeling for you and and sending their
love to you and we will continue to
speak out and tell the rest.
>> Leave it there. Professor Dr. Maynard,
thank you very much for your time.