Gaza’s Healthcare System in Crisis: The Struggle for Survival

Despite the announcement of a ceasefire in October 2025, the healthcare landscape in the Gaza Strip remains in a state of collapse. Whereas the intensity of active hostilities has shifted, the health needs of the population are immense and the capacity to meet those needs is severely limited. From the destruction of critical infrastructure to the targeted attacks on medical personnel, the region is facing a systemic failure of its medical services.

The Current State of Hospital Infrastructure

The backbone of Gaza’s health system, primarily centered in Gaza City, has been systematically dismantled. According to the UN World Health Organization (WHO), the number of functioning hospitals in the enclave has dropped to just 14. These are distributed as follows:

• Gaza City: Eight hospitals (though the situation here is described as “critical”).
• Deir al Balah: Three hospitals.
• Khan Younis: Three hospitals.

None of these facilities are functioning at full capacity. In Gaza City alone, four hospitals—including Al Rantisi Children’s Hospital and the Ophthalmic Hospital—were forced to shut down in September 2025 due to escalating military offensives. Medical teams at the remaining sites are overwhelmed by a continuous influx of trauma casualties and the needs of non-trauma patients.

Targeted Attacks and “Medicide”

The degradation of the healthcare system is not merely a byproduct of conflict but, according to some experts, a deliberate strategy. UN experts have expressed alarm over the “relentless” attacks on Gaza’s healthcare system, characterizing the targeted destruction as “medicide.” These experts accuse the Israel Defense Forces of deliberately attacking and starving healthcare workers and hospitals to eliminate medical care within the enclave.

Attacks on WHO Facilities

The World Health Organization has specifically condemned direct attacks on its own infrastructure in Deir al Balah. In July 2025, Israeli strikes hit a WHO medical warehouse and a staff residence. These attacks resulted in:

• Extensive structural damage to staff housing.
• The forced evacuation of women and children during active conflict.
• The detention and interrogation of male staff members and their families at gunpoint.

The Human Cost and Long-Term Recovery

The impact of this collapse extends beyond the immediate lack of hospital beds. For years, hospitals have operated far beyond their limits, leaving thousands of patients with life-changing injuries who now require long-term rehabilitation care. Essential services, including maternal and newborn care and treatment for chronic physical and mental health conditions, have been severely compromised due to hostilities near medical facilities and a general lack of access.

The WHO continues to work with partners to address the most urgent needs by delivering life-saving supplies, organizing external medical assistance, and responding to disease outbreaks. However, the organization emphasizes that the long-term recovery and reconstruction of Gaza’s health system are dependent on a lasting peace and the protection of healthcare workers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many hospitals are still working in Gaza?

As of late 2025, only 14 hospitals remain functioning across the Gaza Strip, with the majority located in Gaza City.

What is “medicide”?

UN experts use the term “medicide” to describe the deliberate destruction of a healthcare system, including the targeting of hospitals and the starving of medical personnel, to wipe out medical care in a specific region.

What is the current status of the ceasefire?

A ceasefire was announced in October 2025; however, the WHO notes that health needs remain immense and capacities remain limited despite this development.