Gaza hospitals near collapse amid war and medical shortages

Gaza’s health system is on the brink of collapse as the ongoing conflict has crippled hospitals, depleted essential supplies and left thousands of patients without basic medical services. According to the World Health Organization, more than half of the territory’s health facilities have been damaged or rendered inoperable, while chronic power outages and a severe water shortage have forced many units to shut down. Dialysis centres, which require reliable electricity and clean water, have been forced to operate at reduced capacity, leaving an estimated 2,000 patients with kidney disease unable to receive life‑saving treatment. Similarly, orthopedic wards that care for amputees and trauma survivors are overwhelmed; the lack of surgical kits, antibiotics and sterile dressings has turned treatable injuries into potentially fatal conditions.

Humanitarian agencies warn that the deteriorating situation threatens a broader public‑health crisis. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency reports that supply convoys are delayed by the blockade, and that medical staff are working beyond their limits amid shortages of staff and medication. Without an immediate increase in aid deliveries and restoration of essential services, the already fragile health infrastructure may fail entirely, leaving the most vulnerable populations without any access to critical care. International calls for an urgent humanitarian corridor aim to prevent further loss of life and to restore at least minimal functionality to Gaza’s hospitals.