In the shadow of escalating conflict, Gaza’s Al-Aqsa Hospital stands on the brink of collapse, with only five doctors remaining to tend to the mounting casualties. This dire situation, highlighted by the World Health Organization (WHO), underscores the critical state of healthcare in the war-torn region.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of WHO, delivered a grim report on Sunday night, revealing the overwhelming strain on one of Gaza’s last operational medical facilities. “Over one hundred casualties are arriving daily in the over-stretched hospital,” Tedros stated, painting a picture of a healthcare system pushed to its limits.
The hazardous conditions in Gaza have led to a mass exodus of medical staff, with most fleeing for safety. A recent WHO mission to Al-Aqsa Hospital found the facility nearly abandoned due to dangerous conditions and an evacuation order. Tedros noted that the influx of wounded and dead has “increased markedly” in recent days, attributing this surge to the intense ground assault by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Sean Casey, the WHO’s emergency medical teams coordinator, described a harrowing scene within the hospital: just one doctor in the emergency department amidst the chaos, treating a child on a blood-stained floor. As Tedros emphasized, this situation is inconceivable three months into the conflict, with the fundamental need for protected healthcare unmet.
The conflict has not only impacted Al-Aqsa Hospital. In November, Al-Shifa, Gaza’s largest hospital, was raided by Israeli forces, citing alleged Hamas operations within. Hamas staunchly denied this claim, but Tedros condemned the incident as “totally unacceptable.”
The danger has become so acute that two medical aid organizations, Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) and the International Rescue Committee (IRC), have withdrawn from Gaza. They highlighted Al-Aqsa as the last functioning hospital in Gaza’s Middle Area, now surrounded by areas designated as “red zones” by the IDF.
Even medical staff haven’t been immune to the conflict. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported fatalities among medical personnel due to strikes on medical facilities by Israeli forces. The IDF, however, has not confirmed these incidents or acknowledged specific evacuation notices for the hospital.
The broader context of this humanitarian crisis is the IDF’s ground assault on Gaza following a violent attack by Hamas in Israel last October, which resulted in significant casualties and hostage-taking. The Hamas-controlled Gaza Ministry of Health estimates over 22,000 Palestinian deaths due to the ongoing fighting.
Amidst this, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warns of a looming “widespread famine” over the enclave, adding to the woes of casualties and disease among displaced civilians.
This situation in Gaza, particularly at Al-Aqsa Hospital, is a stark reminder of the devastating impact of conflict on healthcare and the urgent need for international intervention to safeguard medical facilities and personnel.
The crisis at Al-Aqsa Hospital is a microcosm of the broader humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza. As the world watches, the urgent plea of Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and others for protecting and preserving healthcare amidst conflict remains a critical yet unmet need. It is a call to action for the international community to step in and address the dire situation, not just in Al-Aqsa Hospital but across all conflict-affected regions, to ensure that medical care remains a beacon of hope and not a casualty of war.
