Watan-The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that addressing the massive needs and restoring the healthcare system in the Gaza Strip is an extremely complex task and a major challenge, given the scale of destruction, complications, and operational restrictions caused by the Israeli aggression on the region.
In a statement on its website, the UN organization added that billions of dollars of investment are needed to support the recovery of the healthcare system, which will require consistent commitment from donors and the international community.
This comes as a ceasefire agreement between the Palestinian resistance movement (Hamas) and Israel takes effect, highlighting the dire state of the healthcare system in Gaza and the challenges faced by doctors and hospital staff.
A Dire Situation
Regarding this reality, the Director-General of the Ministry of Health in Gaza, Munir Al-Bursh, stated that “the healthcare sector in Gaza is facing an unprecedentedly difficult situation, with more than 25 out of 138 hospitals completely destroyed, especially in northern areas.”
In an interview with Al Jazeera Net, Al-Bursh cited the example of Kamal Adwan Hospital, which suffered massive destruction to its power generators, intensive care units, pediatric wards, and over 8,000 other components, necessitating its complete reconstruction.
As for medical personnel, Aid Yaghi, Director of Medical Relief in Gaza, explained that medical teams were directly targeted by the Israeli army, resulting in the death of more than 1,060 staff members, injuries to hundreds, and the arrest of 320 healthcare workers.
Yaghi further noted in his interview with Al Jazeera Net that hundreds of workers in the medical sector were forced to leave Gaza, significantly impacting the performance of the healthcare system and its ability to meet increasing needs.
According to WHO, the full extent of the destruction became evident after the ceasefire. “Half of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are only partially operational, nearly all hospitals have been damaged or partially destroyed, and only 38% of primary healthcare centers remain functional.”
Obstacles and Priorities
The organization emphasized the need to remove security obstacles and create conditions for organized access to residents across Gaza. It also called for enabling the flow of aid through all possible borders and routes, as well as lifting restrictions on essential supplies.
Additionally, WHO stressed the importance of ensuring effective protection for civilians and healthcare workers and expediting medical evacuations for more than 12,000 patients urgently needing specialized care.
Yaghi mentioned that current efforts focus on expanding healthcare services in the most affected areas, particularly northern Gaza, through establishing field hospitals, repairing damaged buildings, and providing ambulances and essential medical equipment.
He also highlighted plans to monitor and treat infectious diseases in collaboration with international organizations to ensure the sustainable supply of essential medicines and medical supplies.
Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Ministry of Health in Gaza stressed the urgent need to bring in medical equipment and essential drugs immediately, noting that the healthcare sector requires significant development in specialized surgeries, such as organ transplants and reconstructive surgeries.
Continued Attacks
The attacks by “Israeli civilians” on aid trucks coming from Jordan, resulting in their destruction, persist. Gaza is on the brink of a new disaster due to a lack of aid and food supplies. The Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings remain non-operational due to Israeli military activity in Rafah, and the Erez crossing in the north is also inactive due to attacks by “Israeli civilians.”
International Support and Aid
Regarding humanitarian aid and support for Gaza’s healthcare sector, WHO announced a 60-day plan with its partners to urgently restore and expand the healthcare system.
However, Al-Bursh stated that international support faces clear delays and logistical challenges hindering implementation. He emphasized the urgent need for regular supplies of essential drugs, including emergency medications and painkillers, of which a significant portion is still unavailable.
He added that current efforts to provide daily aid have not achieved their objectives, as aid has not reached the most affected northern areas, exacerbating the suffering of patients and underscoring the need for faster and more effective international response.
Professor Khamis Al-Essi from the Faculty of Medicine at the Islamic University of Gaza noted that the aid provided so far has not met critical and urgent needs. Only limited shipments of medicines have arrived from Egypt and some other countries, covering only 40-50% of essential medications.
Al-Essi explained in an interview with Al Jazeera Net that between 15,000 and 25,000 patients urgently need treatment outside Gaza, but none have been allowed to leave despite international assurances.
It is worth noting that the ceasefire agreement took effect the day before yesterday, following an Israeli assault on Gaza that lasted 471 days, resulting in the death of approximately 47,000 people, injuries to more than 111,000 Palestinians, and an unknown number of missing persons buried under the rubble of homes destroyed by Israeli airstrikes, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
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