Gaza is facing an unprecedented health and humanitarian crisis as a result of the continuing Israeli aggression and siege, which led to the collapse of the health system and the worsening of living conditions. Hospitals are no longer able to cope with the huge numbers of wounded and sick, with acute shortages of medicines, medical supplies and respirators, while most health centres have stopped functioning due to fuel and power outages. Malnutrition rates among children and women have also risen, infectious diseases have spread as a result of overcrowding and lack of clean drinking water, and people are living in deep psychological trauma due to loss of loved ones and widespread destruction of infrastructure.
The Current Health Crisis in Gaza
1. Collapse of the health system
The health system is no longer able to provide minimal emergency and routine medical services due to direct hits on infrastructure, shortages of fuel and supplies, and loss of crew. This means not just a few doctors, but a whole series of vital services from resuscitation, emergency surgery, maternity care, chronic treatment, and preventing supplies from reaching. Reports from medical organizations also indicate that a large part of hospitals and health centers in Gaza have been severely damaged or completely out of service. Repeated targeting of health care facilities has resulted in many of them ceasing to provide their services in whole or in part, leaving thousands of sick and wounded without close or alternative treatment options.
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2. Outbreaks and epidemics
Conditions (lack of safe drinking water, overcrowding of the displaced, collapse of sewage systems) create an environment for the spread of infectious diseases, as a result of overpopulation, hundreds of thousands of displaced people live in overcrowded shelters or in the open, facilitating the transmission of infection. Water pollution also makes up more than 90 percent of the water unfit for drinking, and as treatment plants stop, rates of intestinal disease have increased. In addition to poor hygiene and sanitation, the accumulation of waste and the collapse of sewage systems have created an ideal environment for the spread of germs and parasites. This causes high mortality rates due to diseases that could have been easily treated, and increased numbers of malnutrition cases associated with recurrent infections.
3. Food shortages and malnutrition
The Gaza Strip is experiencing a food crisis as a result of the blockade, the closure of crossings and the destruction of agricultural land and warehouses, which led to the disruption of supply chains and a sharp rise in prices, leaving most families unable to provide their basic needs. This situation has seriously affected children and women. Some 20,000 children suffer from malnutrition in hospitals and health centers, including 3,000 who suffer from severe malnutrition, and pregnant and lactating women suffer from anaemia and vitamin deficiencies, which undermine their health and the health of fetuses and infants. With widespread hunger and malnutrition, the incidence of infectious diseases has increased and the physical and mental development of children has been delayed, and deaths have already been recorded as a result of famine or related diseases.
4. Lack of medical supplies and fuel
The health sector in Gaza suffers from a severe shortage of essential medicines, mainly antibiotics, along with a severe shortage of surgical instruments, intensive care devices, and sterilization materials. Hospitals have also lost a significant number of their staff as a result of injuries, deaths or forced displacement. According to humanitarian organizations such as Doctors Without Borders, health facilities are now operating beyond capacity, and waiting lists for surgeries are so long that patients die before they receive treatment.
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Impact of humanitarian conditions and health crisis on the health of the population in Gaza
The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza has had catastrophic health effects on the population, especially children, women, the elderly and the chronically ill. The ongoing blockade and military operations have led to the collapse of the health system, with severe shortages of essential medicines and medical supplies, and the disruption of hospitals and health centers, making access to emergency medical care almost impossible. This lack of health services has led to high mortality rates from preventable and treatable diseases, such as infectious infections and malnutrition.
At the same time, food shortages and high rates of malnutrition have led to weakened immunity in the population, making them more vulnerable to infectious diseases such as intestinal and respiratory infections, as well as outbreaks of skin diseases and untreated wounds. Children experience delayed physical and mental development, while pregnant and lactating women face significant health risks to their health and that of their children.
Conditions of displacement, overcrowding in shelters and the spread of disease have also contributed, and the psychological crisis has emerged as an additional factor that weakens the ability to recover health, with most of the population suffering from constant psychological trauma as a result of the loss of loved ones, homes and a safe environment. Thus, it can be argued that the humanitarian crisis is not only affecting people’s daily lives, but has long-term implications for the health of future generations in Gaza.
How to improve health conditions and alleviate the health crisis in Gaza?
It is necessary to secure medical and food supplies. Provide adequate quantities of essential medicines and medical supplies, including antibiotics, surgical instruments and intensive care devices, as well as adequate and balanced food for children and pregnant and lactating women to reduce malnutrition and boost immunity. Securing the fuel needed to run medical generators and hospitals is vital to keep medicine and vaccines’ respirators and coolers running.
In addition, the Gaza Strip needs to rehabilitate its health infrastructure. These include rehabilitating hospitals and health centres affected by military operations, improving water and sanitation systems to reduce the spread of infectious diseases, and rehabilitating bakeries and food facilities to ensure food security and reduce food shortages in the most affected areas.
In terms of prevention, preventive health programmes should be implemented, such as mass vaccination campaigns for children against infectious diseases, and the distribution of clean drinking water and hygiene items to reduce the spread of intestinal and skin diseases. Public awareness campaigns on ways to prevent disease and malnutrition are an essential step to mitigate long-term damage.
