December 30, 2008	Tuesday	Muharram 01,1430

GENEVA, Dec 29: Gaza Strip hospitals are in a state of chaos after more injured people flooded in on the third day of Israeli air raids, the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Monday.

“The situation in hospitals is described as chaotic,” the ICRC said in a statement.

“Palestinian sources indicate that by 10am local time on Dec 29, some 310 people had been killed and 1,000 wounded, 180 seriously.

“Medical teams have been dealing with a constant influx of wounded since Dec 27 and are stretched to the limit,” the statement added.

“We are completely overwhelmed by the number of people coming in with very serious injuries. I have never seen anything like this,” the statement quoted the head of the surgical ward of Shifa Hospital, in Gaza City as saying.

He said more medical supplies were urgently needed. The ICRC did not give his identity.

The statement said the ICRC was moving swiftly to assist Gaza’s hospitals, which were overburdened even before the sudden influx of casualties.

“The priority is to get more medical supplies to the hospitals immediately. The first ICRC truckloads of supplies entered the Gaza Strip today.” According to the ICRC office in the Gaza Strip, the humanitarian situation remains alarming.

Gaza streets were mostly empty. However, long queues were reported to be forming in front of bakeries. Meanwhile, prices for basic commodities were reportedly rising fast.

The ICRC said some neighbourhoods were reported to be running short of water, either because the water network was damaged in the attacks or because of power shortages.—AFP