A deepening medical catastrophe is unfolding in Gaza City as several major hospitals have been forced to cease operations amid an intensifying Israeli military offensive. In recent days, at least seven hospitals and health facilities have shut down, including the critical al-Rantisi Children's Hospital and St John Eye hospital, leaving the already besieged population with minimal healthcare options. The closures come as ground forces advance, with reports placing Israeli tanks mere hundreds of meters from remaining medical facilities like al-Shifa Hospital.
The few hospitals still partially functioning are overwhelmed and operating in horrific conditions. Al-Shifa and Al-Ahli hospitals are reported to be functioning at nearly 300% of their capacity. Medical staff describe being forced to perform complex surgeries, including amputations, with minimal or no anaesthesia and a critical lack of basic supplies. One Australian medic at al-Shifa described the situation as a "mass murder, a killing, a torture, a nightmare," with doctors treating severe trauma injuries in filthy conditions, surrounded by blood and swarmed by flies.
Healthcare workers are facing what one surgeon called a "tsunami" of patients. This includes not only those wounded in the latest bombardments but also sick and malnourished individuals fleeing the north. The journey south is perilous and expensive, with some families reportedly paying over $3,000 to evacuate, leaving many trapped in the combat zone. Injured patients are arriving with week-old wounds that have become severely infected during their difficult journeys. The collapse of medical services is part of a broader pattern that a UN commission has concluded meets the legal definition of genocide, citing the deliberate obstruction of aid and the destruction of healthcare infrastructure.
The healthcare collapse is set against a backdrop of famine and a crippling aid blockade. The UN reports that no aid has entered northern Gaza since the Zikim crossing closed on September 12, severing a lifeline for the region. Over 440 deaths have been documented due to malnutrition, including 147 children. The World Health Organization has warned that the health system is on the "brink of collapse," with over half of essential drugs at zero stock. The Israeli-designated "safe zone" in al-Mawasi is described as overcrowded and unsafe, lacking basic necessities and itself coming under attack, offering little refuge for those who manage to flee.
The escalating humanitarian crisis has drawn international condemnation, with the UN's top aid official detailing the horrific plight of Gaza's children, who are "killed while sleeping, playing, queuing for food and water, seeking medical care". Despite diplomatic discussions at the UN General Assembly, the Israeli offensive continues, with the military stating its aims are the elimination of Hamas and the release of hostages. As the assault continues, the remaining medical workers in Gaza are left to grapple with an impossible situation, struggling to provide care with minimal resources under the constant threat of attack.