The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that Gaza’s health system is being stretched beyond breaking point due to intensified Israeli ground operations and evacuation orders. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said that several hospitals in northern Gaza, including the Indonesian, Kamal Adwan, and al-Awda hospitals, are either inside or near an evacuation zone announced by Israel.
Dr. Mohammed Salha, director of al-Awda hospital, described the situation as a “total siege,” stating, “Nobody can move out and we can’t receive any cases from outside the hospital.” He added that there was a quadcopter drone shooting in the surroundings of the hospital and tanks were approximately 400-500 meters away. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed they were “operating in the area against terror targets” but were “not aware of any siege on the hospital itself.”
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reported that at least 20 medical facilities across Gaza have been damaged or forced out of service in the past week. The charity demanded that Israeli authorities stop what it called the “deliberate asphyxiation of Gaza and the annihilation of its healthcare system.”
The situation is dire, with hospitals facing acute shortages of supplies and attacks disrupting access to healthcare. Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative in the Palestinian territories, said, “Every time you get into Gaza, you always think it cannot get worse. But it gets worse.” He described al-Awda hospital as “overwhelmed with injuries” and running low on supplies.
The Indonesian hospital is barely functioning, with only 15 people, including patients and staff, remaining inside. A woman inside the hospital told the BBC that two patients were in a “serious condition” and that they were facing a water crisis. The IDF said they were operating in the area around the hospital and targeting “terrorist infrastructure sites,” but claimed they were not targeting the hospital itself.
The health system in Gaza is facing an unprecedented crisis, with hospitals and medical personnel specially protected under international humanitarian law. The IDF has insisted that its forces operate in accordance with international law, but allegations of attacks on hospitals and medical facilities continue to emerge.
As the situation continues to deteriorate, the international community is growing increasingly concerned. The UN has been unable to collect dozens of lorry loads of supplies allowed into Gaza since Monday, and MSF described the volume of aid allowed in so far as “a smokescreen to pretend the siege is over.”