How war has devastated Gaza's healthcare sector

In the first of a series of reports on the health crisis in Gaza, The National looks at the impact of Israel's apparent systematic targeting of medical services

Palestinian personnel recover human remains on the grounds of Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza city in April 2024, after two-week siege by Israeli forces. AFP

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Despite protection under international humanitarian law, Gaza's healthcare system has suffered catastrophic damage during Israel's war in the Palestinian enclave. Near-total destruction of medical infrastructure and a critical shortage of personnel and resources has left injured civilians unable to receive adequate treatment.

Israeli military attacks have destroyed homes and infrastructure across the coastal strip, but appear to have particularly targeted medical facilities, which it claims have served as cover for the militant group Hamas that Israel has vowed to destroy. Gaza's Health Ministry says that besides killing more than 50,800 Palestinians over the course of 18 months of war, most of them civilians, the attacks have left more than 115,000 injured.

“During the Israeli genocide, medical and healthcare teams worked tirelessly to provide services to citizens,” Dr Khalil Al Daqran, a ministry spokesman, told The National. "However, the situation was extremely difficult. Our teams were overwhelmed by the intensity of attacks, the enormous number of injuries, and a severe shortage of supplies and staff.

“The [Israeli] occupation deliberately targeted healthcare facilities, taking them out of service and crippling our ability to respond to the escalating humanitarian emergency. The hospitals that remained operational were running round the clock at full capacity, doing everything possible to save lives.”

Moment large explosion destroys hospital in Gaza

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Targeting medical complexes

Since the war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas killed about 1,200 about people and took an estimated 250 hostage during raids in southern Israel, 34 out of 38 hospitals in the Gaza Strip have been completely or partly destroyed in air strikes, shelling and raids by Israeli troops.

Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza city, the largest medical complex in the territory, was stormed twice, in November 2023 and last April. Medical staff were arrested and the hospital was destroyed.

Patient’s Friends Hospital, also in Gaza city, was stormed in February last year and later hit by air strikes in July. It went out of service but operations have been partially restored.

Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, was stormed a number of times between December 2023 and December last year, with staff and patients detained. Military raids and air strikes have left it in ruins. The Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia was raided in November 2023 and again in October 2024, with parts destroyed and set on fire.

The neonatal intensive care unit at Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia that was attacked by Israeli forces. AFP

Al Awda Hospital in Jabalia, northern Gaza, was stormed in November 2023. Parts of the hospital were damaged in shelling and it remained under siege for months.

Abu Youssef Al Najjar Hospital, the only major medical complex in the southern city of Rafah, was severely damaged early in the war and rendered inoperable. Although it remained standing during the Israeli military's assault on the city last May, it is now flattened.

Nasser Hospital, in the southern city of Khan Younis, was stormed in February last year, with some staff and patients killed or arrested. Another hospital in the city, Al Amal, was raided and hit by air strikes in the same month, resulting in casualties and destruction of infrastructure.

In addition to hospitals, Israeli strikes led to the closure of at least 80 health centres, including emergency clinics and first-aid units that provided critical medical services across Gaza, the ministry says.

The ministry has also reported the destruction of 162 medical institutions, run by both government and non-profit organisations. Key administrative, financial and storage facilities belonging to the ministry were targeted.

Emergency transport was not spared – more than 140 ambulances have been destroyed, paralysing Gaza’s already strained emergency response system.

Footage appears to contradict Israel's account of Gaza medic deaths

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Heavy toll of health workers

The war has exacted a heavy toll on Gaza’s medical personnel. More than 1,060 health workers have been killed, including doctors, nurses, paramedics and administrators, the ministry says. An additional 3,500 medical personnel have been injured and about 360 were arrested, prompting a severe shortage of skilled professionals at a time of dire need.

Dr Adnan Al Bursh, one of Gaza’s most renowned surgeons, was detained when troops raided Al Awda Hospital in December 2023 and he later died in Israeli custody. Dr Hossam Abu Safiyah, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, was arrested in December after forces laid siege to the complex and remains in Israeli custody.

Wrecked emergency vehicles at an ambulance repair yard hit by Israeli strikes in Al Maghazi refugee camp, central Gaza. AFP

In the most recent incident, eight members of the Palestinian Red Crescent were killed along with six civil defence workers and a UN staff member when Israeli troops attacked their convoy as they were responding to calls for assistance in Rafah.

“Throughout the genocide, we worked intensely with our remaining teams to rehabilitate damaged hospitals and bring them back into service,” said Dr Al Daqran. “But we are suffering from a major shortage of healthcare professionals due to the killing and detention of so many.”

Gaza is in urgent need of international medical assistance, he added. “We desperately need external medical teams and field hospitals to fill the gap. Delays in treatment worsen the crisis – especially as the occupation continues its relentless siege on Gaza’s civilian population.”