The health system in Gaza is facing near-total collapse amid sustained Israeli military operations that have persisted for over seven months, transforming hospitals into direct targets and leading to the widespread destruction of healthcare infrastructure throughout the blockaded territory.
According to the World Health Organization, at least 94 percent of Gaza’s hospitals have been severely damaged or destroyed. Only 19 out of 36 hospitals remain even partially functional, operating in conditions of extreme danger and without access to critical medical supplies.
Over the past week alone, four major hospitals have been forced to shut down due to repeated airstrikes, forced evacuation orders, and deteriorating security conditions in surrounding areas.
The northern Gaza Strip has been rendered effectively devoid of healthcare services, while the few remaining facilities in the south are overwhelmed by patient loads that exceed their capacity. These hospitals continue to operate under constant threat of closure.
The crisis extends far beyond a lack of medicine or equipment. Thousands of patients and injured individuals are being denied access to essential care in direct contravention of international humanitarian law, which prohibits attacks on medical facilities and the militarisation of health infrastructure.
These developments are occurring within the context of an ongoing campaign widely described as genocidal, which has been carried out by Israeli forces since 7 October 2023 with extensive military and political support from international powers, including the United States.
The military campaign has resulted in more than 176,000 Palestinians killed or wounded, the majority of whom are women and children. Over 11,000 individuals remain missing, many believed to be trapped under rubble or buried in unmarked mass graves. The conflict has also displaced hundreds of thousands, forcing them into conditions lacking the most basic elements of human survival.
Since 2 March, Israeli authorities have intensified a policy of collective starvation by obstructing the entry of humanitarian aid and restricting relief supplies at border crossings. This has pushed Gaza into a state of famine. Documented cases of death due to hunger and malnutrition continue to rise, pointing to the deliberate use of food deprivation as a weapon in the ongoing campaign against civilians.
Amid this worsening situation, international and local appeals have intensified for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access, and protection for civilians and vital infrastructure including hospitals. These demands underscore the fundamental principle that medical facilities must never be used as bargaining tools or targets in armed conflict.
What is unfolding in Gaza today is not merely a humanitarian emergency or a health disaster, but a well-documented act of genocide, marked by systematic targeting and large-scale deprivation. The failure of the international community to intervene or uphold its legal obligations raises profound concerns about the enforcement of international law and the protection of fundamental human rights.
