Gaza’s healthcare system is on the brink of collapse as ongoing conflict and severe shortages of medical supplies push hospitals to their limits. Patients with chronic conditions such as kidney failure, amputees, and trauma survivors are facing life-threatening challenges due to the destruction of medical facilities and restricted access to essential treatments.
Dialysis Patients Face Life-Threatening Shortages
At al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, dialysis machines operate nonstop to sustain patients like 14-year-old Ruwaa Muntasir Abdul Karim, who depends on regular dialysis sessions to survive. However, the hospital’s capacity to provide this vital treatment has been severely compromised. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that half of Gaza’s dialysis machines are nonfunctional due to a shortage of sodium bicarbonate, a critical component for dialysis procedures.
Before the war, seven hospitals in Gaza offered dialysis services, but this number has dropped to four after some centers, including the Noura al-Kaabi Dialysis Centre, were destroyed. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights estimates that over 470 kidney failure patients have died since the conflict began, primarily due to missed dialysis sessions and lack of medication. The number of patients receiving dialysis has fallen from 1,200 to approximately 700.
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Osama Abu Rahma, head of the kidney department at Al-Aqsa Hospital, highlighted the strain on remaining facilities. With only 26 of 51 dialysis machines operational, the hospital has had to reduce both the frequency and duration of dialysis sessions, leading to increased medical complications such as heart and lung problems, weakness, and dangerously high potassium levels among patients.
Ruwaa’s father, Muntasir, expressed deep concern over his daughter’s deteriorating health. Although a kidney transplant could offer a permanent solution, Ruwaa’s transfer out of Gaza for the procedure has been delayed for six months due to Israeli restrictions on travel permits, leaving her and many others trapped in a dire medical situation.
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Amputees and Rehabilitation Challenges
The war has also resulted in tens of thousands of severe injuries, including thousands of amputations. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that between 5,000 and 6,000 people have lost limbs due to the conflict. However, access to prosthetics, wheelchairs, and crutches remains critically limited.
Physiotherapist Aya al-Shaltouni from Khan Younis described the overwhelming demand for mobility aids that far exceeds supply. Many patients endure long waits or receive no assistive devices at all, severely restricting their ability to regain independence. Rehabilitation centers operate with scarce resources and cannot fully address the gap in essential equipment.
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Zaki Jumaa Salem Abu Harb, a 60-year-old farmer who lost a leg in an Israeli attack, shared his experience of dependence and limited mobility before finally receiving a prosthetic limb after months of waiting. He emphasized the plight of many others, including children, who remain without proper mobility aids and are forced to improvise with inadequate substitutes.
Psychological Toll and Mental Health Crisis
The healthcare crisis in Gaza extends beyond physical injuries to encompass widespread psychological trauma. Nearly three years of war, displacement, and loss have left many residents struggling with mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and insomnia.
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Hadeel, a 22-year-old displaced woman caring for her seven siblings, described the emotional exhaustion and trauma she endures daily after witnessing the bombing that nearly killed her mother. Her experience reflects the broader mental health challenges faced by Gaza’s population.
Psychologist Asil Abu Shaweesh, who works with an international organization providing psychological support, stressed the urgent need for mental health services. She noted the prevalence of psychological disorders among adults and children and the difficulties mental health workers face, including high demand, resource shortages, and safety concerns.
Despite these obstacles, mental health professionals continue to provide critical support to those affected by the ongoing conflict, recognizing the importance of addressing psychological as well as physical wounds.
Context and Implications
The destruction of medical infrastructure and the blockade restricting medical supplies and patient movement have created a humanitarian crisis in Gaza’s health sector. The reduction in functioning hospitals and medical equipment, combined with the high number of war casualties, has overwhelmed the healthcare system.
Patients with chronic illnesses, trauma survivors, and amputees face deteriorating conditions without adequate treatment or rehabilitation. The delays in life-saving procedures such as kidney transplants and the shortage of prosthetics underscore the broader impact of the conflict on civilian health and well-being.
As Gaza’s hospitals struggle to cope, the international community faces mounting pressure to address the medical and humanitarian needs of the population amid ongoing hostilities and restrictions.
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