Gaza’s Health System Near Collapse Amid Escalating Attacks and Worsening Humanitarian Crisis: WHO Issues Urgent Call for Ceasefire and Aid Access.
28 health care attacks recorded in one week; only 19 of 36 hospitals partially operational; WHO calls for immediate and lasting ceasefire.
Gaza Strip:
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued an urgent warning as intensified military operations by Israeli forces continue to devastate Gaza’s already fragile health system. With widespread displacement, acute shortages of essential supplies, and sustained attacks on medical facilities, the healthcare infrastructure in the Gaza Strip is nearing total collapse.
In just the past week, four major hospitals — Kamal Adwan, Indonesian, Hamad for Rehabilitation and Prosthetics, and the European Gaza Hospital — have suspended services due to attacks, evacuation orders, or their proximity to active hostilities. WHO has recorded 28 attacks on health care in Gaza during this period, bringing the total since October 2023 to 697.
Of the 36 hospitals in Gaza, only 19 remain operational, with just 12 able to provide a range of health services. The remaining facilities are only capable of delivering basic emergency care. WHO reports that at least 94% of all hospitals in the Gaza Strip are damaged or destroyed, and health workers are stretched beyond capacity, working under extreme insecurity and with minimal resources.
Hospitals Forced Out of Service
The Indonesian Hospital has been out of service since May 18 due to a continued military presence, making it inaccessible to patients and humanitarian missions. Attempts by WHO to deliver food and assess critical medical needs have repeatedly been aborted due to security risks.
Kamal Adwan Hospital, the only centre in North Gaza treating children with severe acute malnutrition, ceased operations on May 20 following heavy hostilities. Patients were forced to evacuate or be discharged without proper care.
In North Gaza, nearly all healthcare capacity has been eliminated. Al-Awda Hospital, currently serving as a trauma stabilization point, is barely functional and at imminent risk of closure. The facility has been attacked multiple times, including on Wednesday and again today, damaging multiple floors, injuring health workers, and destroying critical supplies and infrastructure, including WHO-provided patient triage tents.
Southern Gaza Overwhelmed
In the south, Nasser Medical Complex, Al-Amal, and Al-Aqsa Hospitals are overwhelmed with casualties, as fresh waves of displacement drive thousands toward Deir al Balah and Khan Younis. The European Gaza Hospital was rendered inoperable after an attack on May 13, cutting off access to essential services such as neurosurgery, cardiac care, and cancer treatment.
Currently, only 2,000 hospital beds remain for a population exceeding 2 million — dangerously insufficient given the ongoing conflict. WHO warns that 40 beds are at risk of immediate loss within new evacuation zones, while an additional 850 beds could be lost if hostilities expand into nearby areas.
Health System Under Systematic Attack
“The destruction is systematic,” WHO said in a statement, describing a cycle where hospitals are repaired and resupplied, only to be attacked again. “With each hospital forced out of service, patients lose access to care, and WHO and partners’ efforts are undone.”
The WHO strongly condemned the militarization and targeting of medical facilities and issued an urgent appeal for active protection of health care infrastructure, unimpeded access for humanitarian aid, and the use of all available entry routes for the delivery of medical supplies, food, water, and fuel.
Call for Ceasefire
Echoing the United Nations Relief Chief, WHO reiterated its call for an immediate and lasting ceasefire. The organization emphasized that the UN and humanitarian partners have a robust and principled aid delivery system, capable of operating effectively if given access.
Amid the crisis, WHO praised the “courage and commitment” of health workers — both local and international — who continue to provide life-saving care under harrowing conditions.
“This destructive cycle must end,” WHO concluded, “Hospitals must never be militarized or targeted. Gaza’s health system cannot withstand further destruction.”
