Gaza Herald_ Gaza’s health sector is approaching total collapse, with thousands of patients at risk of death or permanent disability as Israel continues to block the entry of essential medical supplies into the besieged enclave, Palestinian health officials warn.
According to the director-general of Gaza’s Ministry of Health, the situation inside hospitals has reached catastrophic levels, driven by severe shortages of medicines, medical equipment, electricity, and fuel. The ongoing restrictions have left doctors unable to respond adequately to emergencies, even as critical cases continue to arrive daily.
Hospitals Across Gaza on the Brink
The head of the Health Ministry described conditions inside Gaza’s hospitals as “tragic and horrifying,” noting that Israeli authorities have continued to obstruct the delivery of desperately needed medical aid. These restrictions persist despite the ceasefire that came into effect in October, which included commitments to allow humanitarian and medical assistance into Gaza.
Doctors and medical staff have repeatedly warned that their ability to save lives is being systematically undermined. Israel has failed to allow the agreed number of medical aid trucks to enter, worsening what health officials describe as a prolonged and acute health emergency affecting every aspect of care.
Critical Shortages Paralyze Medical Care
The health system is suffering from widespread shortages of medicines and basic medical supplies, particularly those required for surgical procedures. Nearly 75 percent of essential medical items are currently unavailable, including anesthetics, intravenous fluids, gauze, dialysis materials, and other life-saving consumables.
Power outages and a severe lack of generators have further crippled hospital operations, leaving intensive care units and operating rooms functioning under constant threat of shutdown. Health officials say the current crisis is the most dangerous the Palestinian health system has faced since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority more than three decades ago.
Healthcare System Targeted During the War
Over the course of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, which has lasted more than two years, nearly all hospitals and healthcare facilities in the Strip have been attacked. At least 125 medical facilities have been damaged or destroyed, including 34 hospitals.
More than 1,700 Palestinian health workers have been killed, while Israel continues to detain 95 doctors and medical personnel, including 80 from Gaza. The destruction of infrastructure and the targeting of medical staff have left the healthcare system unable to recover or rebuild.
Thousands Await Treatment Outside Gaza
The crisis extends far beyond those injured in airstrikes. Thousands of patients suffering from chronic and life-threatening illnesses are unable to access treatment.
An estimated 4,000 glaucoma patients are at risk of permanent blindness due to the lack of medication and surgical care. Nearly 40,000 displaced pregnant women are living in unsafe and unsanitary shelters, endangering both their lives and those of their unborn children.
Meanwhile, approximately 320,000 children under the age of five are at risk of malnutrition, as Israel’s continued restrictions on aid worsen food insecurity and humanitarian conditions across the Strip.
Deadly Delays in Medical Evacuations
Although a system exists to transfer patients outside Gaza for advanced treatment, the process is slow, complex, and often fatal. Patients must first be referred by Gaza doctors, then reviewed by the World Health Organization, before finally being submitted to Israeli authorities for security approval.
At least 1,156 patients have died while waiting for permission to travel for treatment. Nearly 20,000 patients remain on waiting lists, including about 18,500 who have already been approved by international health bodies. Of these, roughly 3,700 are in critical condition.
Children make up a significant portion of those awaiting evacuation, with approximately 4,300 pediatric patients still waiting to leave Gaza for medical care.
Calls for Immediate Action
The Ministry of Health has called for the immediate opening of border crossings to allow the entry of medical supplies, fuel, and humanitarian aid. Officials are also demanding urgent permission for thousands of critically ill patients to leave Gaza for treatment abroad.
They warn that any further delays will inevitably result in more preventable deaths.
Since October 2023, Israel’s war on Gaza has killed approximately 71,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 171,000 others, leaving a devastated population struggling to survive amid destruction, siege, and the systematic dismantling of its healthcare system.
