Amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the healthcare system in the Gaza Strip is on the brink of collapse. Doctors and international aid organizations are sounding the alarm, warning that the sole major hospital in southern Gaza, the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, is facing imminent shutdown due to severe shortages of supplies and staff essential for treating the injured and ill.
Situated in central Khan Younis, the Nasser Medical Complex once served as a vital healthcare hub for the region. However, the hospital is now surrounded by neighborhoods under Israeli military evacuation orders, with the roads leading to it frequently targeted by bombardments. Despite being designated as a non-evacuation zone by the Israeli military, the surrounding area has been marked as a red zone, prompting citizens to leave due to the likelihood of military activity.
In the past, the Israeli military has called for hospital evacuations before conducting large-scale raids, citing the presence of Hamas operatives in these facilities. Nasser Hospital itself was raided by the IDF in February 2024, with subsequent attacks on its premises, including a strike on the surgery wing in March of the current year.
The dire situation at Nasser Hospital is exacerbated by the ongoing conflict, with premature babies and other patients facing critical shortages of medicines, supplies, and infant formula. Dr. Mark Brauner, an emergency physician who recently worked at the hospital, highlighted the challenges faced by the staff in providing care amidst the chaos of warfare.
Patients not only suffer from injuries sustained in airstrikes but also from chronic malnutrition, further complicating their recovery process. Dr. Brauner emphasized the urgent need for essential resources like protein and pediatric formula to prevent infections and ensure proper healing.
The toll of the Israel-Hamas war on the people of Gaza has been devastating, with thousands killed and many more wounded since the conflict erupted in October 2023. The humanitarian crisis has left the healthcare system strained and the population vulnerable, underscoring the urgent need for international support and intervention to address the escalating crisis at Nasser Hospital and beyond.
In the southern Gaza Strip, there is a shortage of functioning hospitals, with few remaining operational in Gaza City and none in northern Gaza. Health officials reported that over 30 people were killed at aid distribution sites in Gaza by a controversial foundation. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) stated that medical services are severely lacking resources, with essential supplies running out. UNRWA runs five health centers and two temporary facilities in Gaza currently. The Gaza Ministry of Health, under Hamas, described a critical situation in the territory’s health system, with hospitals overwhelmed and lacking supplies. Only 45 out of 312 operating rooms are in service, and many lack essential medicines and supplies, especially impacting cancer and heart patients. The World Health Organization recently delivered medical aid to Gaza, including blood and plasma, to support the medical response. COGAT confirmed the shipment and stated continuous facilitation of medical and humanitarian responses for the civilian population in Gaza. However, the WHO Director-General noted that the delivered aid is insufficient to meet the urgent needs in Gaza.
“The supplies we have are just a small part of what is needed,” he mentioned in the X post. “Large-scale aid is crucial to save lives. The World Health Organization is urging for the immediate, unhindered, and continuous delivery of health assistance into Gaza through all available channels.”However, for some, even these occasional deliveries are arriving too late. Doctors Without Borders recently relocated most of its staff from Nasser Hospital due to safety concerns.”I hesitate to label it as a collapsed system anymore. In Gaza, there simply is no functioning health system,” said Dr. Mohammed Abu Mughaiseeb, the organization’s deputy medical coordinator in Gaza, during an interview with ABC News.”The remaining hospitals are inundated with a high number of severe casualties, many now coming from food distribution centers. We are treating patients with severe burns and complex injuries, yet we lack the necessary supplies, fuel, and infrastructure to manage the situation,” he added.Some patients are not receiving the appropriate level of care they require within the Gaza Strip.The Gaza Ministry of Health reported that 513 patients have died due to travel restrictions for medical treatment, and 338 cancer patients have passed away while awaiting approval to seek treatment abroad.An Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson did not provide an immediate response regarding the current travel limitations in Gaza.Despite these obstacles, the medical professionals and staff at Nasser Hospital persist in their efforts.The shortage of electricity is further worsening the crisis, with only 49 hospital generators still operational, and even those are running on limited fuel, according to the health ministry.”We are barely hanging on,” Brauner expressed. “This situation is not sustainable. If Nasser Hospital shuts down, the entire southern region will be left without medical assistance. That would signify the ultimate collapse.”
