On World Health Day: Al Mezan Condemns Israel’s Systematic Destruction of Gaza’s Health Sector and Blockade of Humanitarian Aid, and Calls for Immediate International Protection

Gaza, 7 April 2025 – Today marks World Health Day, established by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948. This year the focus is on maternal and newborn health. Yet, the day falls amid Israel’s ongoing and escalating genocide against the population of Gaza and the total collapse of essential services critical to pregnant and breastfeeding women and their babies. Israeli forces continue to launch intense military attacks across Gaza, killing and injuring thousands of Palestinian civilians, issuing repeated displacement orders, and, since 2 March 2025, imposing a complete blockade that has entirely cut off humanitarian aid and blocked the entry of essential goods, including food, medical supplies, and fuel.

The collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system is accelerating amid unrelenting Israeli military attacks and an ever-deepening humanitarian crisis. Israeli forces have deliberately targeted hospitals, medical personnel, and even operating rooms, while also preventing patients and the wounded from accessing life-saving treatment abroad. Critical shortages of medicines, medical equipment, and laboratory supplies have further undermined the health sector’s ability to respond to the growing medical needs. The Palestinian Ministry of Health has recently underscored the urgent need for 8,000 units of blood each month to treat the wounded and support patients with blood-related conditions. However, widespread malnutrition has severely reduced the number of eligible donors, placing thousands of lives at immediate risk.

Displaced families continue to face a severe shortage of tents, caravans and other temporary shelters. There are acute fuel shortages and not enough vehicles – both necessary for relocation. These conditions have also drastically hindered access to healthcare, with both patients and medical personnel struggling to reach hospitals and clinics. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), approximately 65% of Gaza’s territory is currently under active evacuation orders or considered unsafe for movement. This has further restricted civilians’ access to medical assistance and deepened the collapse of the already devastated health system.

These conditions have put the lives of all Palestinians in Gaza at extreme risk. Pregnant and breastfeeding women are especially vulnerable due to severe shortages of food, clean water, and protein-rich nutrition. An Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report covering November 2024 to April 2025 warns of a strong likelihood of imminent famine in some areas of Gaza. According to the report, approximately 1.95 million people across Gaza are expected to face high levels of acute food insecurity, and thousands of children are at risk of life-threatening malnutrition, which could result in developmental delays, organ failure, or death. An estimated 16,500 pregnant and breastfeeding women require urgent treatment for acute malnutrition, which poses serious health risks for both mothers and their children and may lead to complications during pregnancy and childbirth.

In this context, Dr. Wissal Abu Laban, Head of the Pediatrics and Therapeutic Nutrition Department at Al-Awda Hospital in Al-Nuseirat refugee camp, told Al Mezan:

“We’ve seen a significant increase in cases of severe malnutrition recently. The numbers had slightly declined during the temporary ceasefire, but they have surged again due to the worsening food shortage and families’ inability to access protein-rich meals. We’ve also observed a rise in moderate malnutrition and anaemia among pregnant and breastfeeding women, posing serious risks to their health and that of their babies, and potentially leading to complications during childbirth. Newborn weights have noticeably fallen below normal levels. We are trying to provide the available treatments, but due to the blockade and ongoing restrictions on the entry of medical supplies, we face acute shortages of essential supplements and vitamins.”

The water crisis in Gaza has also worsened due to fuel shortages and deliberate Israeli attacks on water infrastructure and desalination plants. Additionally, solid waste has accumulated in and around residential areas because it cannot be transported to main dumpsites, many of which are located in areas under Israeli control. This has created serious environmental and public health hazards, including foul odours, an increase in insect and rodent numbers, and the spread of disease.

These attacks and practices are not isolated incidents–they form part of Israel’s systematic campaign targeting Gaza’s health and emergency response sectors. According to the latest update by the Gaza Government Media Office, since October 2023, Israeli forces have killed 1,402 medical personnel and arrested 362 others, many of whom were on duty at the time. At least three of those arrested have died under torture in Israeli custody. Additionally, 142 ambulances have been targeted and destroyed, while 111 civil defense crew members have been killed. In the most recent Israeli attacks on medical workers and first responders, on 23 March 2025, 15 humanitarian workers from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS), the Palestinian Civil Defense, and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) were killed by Israeli forces while performing their humanitarian duties in Tal Al-Sultan, Rafah.

Al Mezan strongly condemns Israel's ongoing genocide, the use of starvation as a weapon of war, and its systematic targeting of healthcare institutions and medical workers. These actions are clearly intended to inflict maximum harm on civilians.

In light of this, Al Mezan calls on the international community to take immediate action to stop the genocide, end the starvation policy, lift the closure and blockade without further delay,  and ensure the protection of medical workers and emergency responders. We further call on all international actors to exert intense pressure on Israel to cease its restrictions on humanitarian operations and allow the entry of medicine, medical supplies, and international medical missions.

Al Mezan also urges the World Health Organization and other international health actors to intensify their support for Gaza’s collapsing healthcare system by providing medical equipment, diagnostic tools, essential medications, nutritional supplements, and infant formula.