The dire state of healthcare in Gaza amidst ongoing conflict has been highlighted by Raed Al-Namms, spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent in Gaza. With the war’s continuation, dozens of hospitals have ceased operations, and there’s a severe shortage of essential medical supplies, underscoring the urgent need for intervention to aid the sick and injured.
Al-Namms revealed to Aletihad news outlet that over 30 out of 36 hospitals in the Gaza Strip have shut down. The remaining hospitals are grappling with acute shortages of medical necessities, anesthesia and sterilization equipment, surgical tools, as well as significant deficits in fuel and oxygen supplies.
He further mentioned that the Israeli military’s intrusion into the Palestinian Red Crescent’s Al-Amal Hospital and the government-run Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis has deprived hundreds of thousands of residents, displaced individuals, and patients of medical services. The hospitals are overwhelmed with patients due to the massive influx and the numerous injuries resulting from the ongoing conflict.
Al-Namms emphasized the healthcare sector’s critical need for support, especially as medical teams face targeting, resulting in deaths, injuries, and arrests. Over 350 medical personnel, including doctors, nurses, and paramedics, have been killed, and 99 others are currently detained.
The medical teams are struggling to meet healthcare needs fully, and northern Gaza lacks any medical facilities offering health services, except for a medical point established by the Red Crescent, catering to cases that can reach this field location.
The spokesperson pointed out that all supplies to Al-Amal and Nasser hospitals, as well as the northern areas of Gaza, have been cut off, leading to a general deterioration in health conditions.
The devastating impact of the conflict on Gaza is further illustrated by the statistics provided by Al Jazeera, which report that as of March 14, 2024, the death toll in Gaza has reached 31,774 Palestinians, including over 12,300 children and 8,400 women, with more than 73,134 individuals injured. The attacks have led to widespread destruction, with more than half of Gaza’s homes damaged or destroyed, alongside significant damage to educational facilities, hospitals, and places of worship.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has been described as “catastrophic” by the Medical Aid for Palestinians group, with hospitals facing severe shortages of medical and surgical supplies due to a total blockade, affecting emergency, trauma, and surgical care. The ongoing power outages have forced hospitals to rely on generators, putting numerous patients at immediate risk, including those with kidney and cancer conditions, as well as newborns in incubators.
Oxfam has labeled the war in Gaza as the “deadliest conflict in the 21st century,” underscoring the gravity of the humanitarian disaster. The war has overwhelmed Gaza’s healthcare facilities, with only a fraction of the required beds available for trauma and emergency needs. This dire situation has prompted discussions at the International Court of Justice regarding allegations of genocide committed in Gaza.
