Gaza’s healthcare system is on the verge of collapse due to severe shortages of blood and medical supplies, exacerbated by Israeli attacks and a crippling aid blockade. The besieged enclave’s healthcare officials reported a dire shortage of blood, with many potential donors being too malnourished to donate safely. According to Amani Abu Ouda, head of the blood bank at al-Shifa Hospital, “when they donate blood they could lose consciousness within seconds, which not only endangers their health but also leads to the loss of a precious blood unit”.
The situation is further complicated by the Israeli-induced hunger crisis, which has claimed the lives of 193 Palestinians, including five in the past 24 hours. Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City, highlighted the desperation of would-be donors, saying, “We’ve seen at the blood banks many people who were begging doctors to allow them to give blood donations to save their loved ones, but they had to be turned away because they were not fit to donate blood due to the enforced dehydration and starvation”.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded the alarm, with Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus calling on the international community to act swiftly. “We urge more countries to step forward to accept patients and for medical evacuations to be expedited through all possible routes,” he said in a statement. Over 14,800 patients in Gaza are in urgent need of specialized medical treatment.
Meanwhile, Israeli attacks continue to pound Gaza, killing at least 44 people on Wednesday, including 18 hungry aid seekers who were shot dead while approaching UN aid trucks and aid distribution sites. The UN has criticized the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) for failing to provide enough aid and for the dire security situation at its distribution sites. More than 1,560 Palestinians seeking aid have been killed by Israeli forces near aid distribution sites since GHF began operating in late May.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is deepening, with the entire population of 2.1 million people facing high levels of acute food insecurity. According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization and the UN satellite centre, just 8.6 percent of Gaza’s cropland is still accessible, and only 1.5 percent is accessible and undamaged. Israel’s blockade extends to medical supplies and fuel, forcing several medical facilities to shut down. Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, warned that the lack of fuel is affecting “lifesaving” operations, putting the lives of over 100 premature babies at risk.
Ghaleb Tafesh, a displaced Palestinian resident, recounted the trauma of an overnight attack in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, saying, “Last night, while we were having dinner, we suddenly heard people shouting, calling for evacuation. There was no time to take anything – no food, no clothes, no bedding. We just ran”. Tamer al-Burai, a displaced Palestinian living at the edge of Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, expressed the desperation of many, saying, “Where will we go? Should people jump into the sea if the tanks rolled in, or wait to die under the rubble of their houses? We want an end to this war; it is enough, enough”.
The international community is being urged to take action to address the crisis. The UN has called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access, and the restoration of essential services. António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, emphasized that “the trickle of aid must become an ocean”. The situation in Gaza is a test of humanity, and the international community must act to prevent further devastation.