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Rabat – Palestine’s Health Minister Mai al-Kaila has said that the healthcare situation in Gaza is “totally catastrophic” amid Israeli occupation forces’ persisting aggression.
The number of operational hospitals has plummeted from 36 to a mere nine partially operational hospitals since the onset of the war on October 7.
This has exacerbated the challenges faced by an overwhelmed medical infrastructure, leaving the healthcare system in a state of crisis.
Al-Kaila expressed the dire state of hospitals in southern Gaza, where facilities are grappling with an acute shortage of medical supplies, medicines, and electricity.
“They don’t have enough medical supplies and medicines and enough electricity. Therefore, the solution is totally catastrophic,” she told Al Jazeera today.
Exacerbating the crisis is the insufficient medical aid the region receives, which primarily comprises emergency supplies.
The Palestinian minister said that the aid falls short of addressing the pressing needs of patients with chronic health conditions who require specialized medicines.
The toll on the healthcare system extends beyond material shortages، Al-Kaila noted. The loss of doctors and specialists due to Israeli bombardment further strained an already fragile medical workforce.
The absence of crucial medical professionals has diminished the capacity to provide essential care to the growing number of patients.
Since the beginning of the new cycle of violence, the Israeli occupation forces have killed around 22,000 Palestinians and injured hundreds of thousands of others.
According to the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) spokesman Daniel Hagari, the Israeli army expects the war on Gaza to continue throughout 2024.
Troop deployments are being adjusted to prepare for prolonged fighting, with some reservists set to be withdrawn to regroup. The IOF anticipates additional missions and ongoing devastation throughout the year.
