More than 1,500 medical workers have lost their lives in Gaza since 2023 as relentless airstrikes continue to devastate the region. The sustained bombardment has caused soaring casualties, widespread displacement, and the collapse of vital infrastructure, leaving communities with little to no access to basic necessities or medical care.
In recent days, airstrikes on tents and residential buildings in Gaza City and Deir el-Balah claimed the lives of dozens of civilians, including healthcare workers and their families. These attacks have targeted areas where people sought refuge, further exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation.
Despite overwhelming challenges, healthcare workers continue to provide critical care to the injured amid mass casualty incidents. Many operate with minimal equipment and dwindling medical supplies, often working in makeshift facilities after hospitals were damaged or destroyed. Emergency services have been pushed beyond capacity, struggling to respond under constant threat and limited mobility due to destroyed roads and ongoing air raids.
A small number of aid trucks recently entered Gaza, carrying surgical tools and medical supplies, but this assistance remains drastically insufficient. The volume of aid that manages to get through is only a fraction of what is required to address the scale of the crisis. Medical facilities are under-resourced, and even the most basic procedures are often delayed due to shortages of anesthesia, blood, and sterilized equipment.
The current blockade and restrictions on humanitarian access have paralyzed efforts to meet urgent needs. With only a few entry points open and many aid convoys unable to pass, the delivery of life-saving support has been sporadic and slow. Aid groups on the ground emphasize the need for all crossings to open immediately and unconditionally to allow for large-scale, continuous humanitarian operations.
In the camps and overcrowded shelters where displaced families reside, the situation is equally grim. Outbreaks of disease are increasing due to a lack of clean water, sanitation, and adequate nutrition. Children, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses face the highest risk as medical systems buckle under pressure. The mental health toll on survivors—many of whom have lost loved ones and homes—is immense, yet mental health services are virtually nonexistent.
Healthcare workers, often seen as frontline heroes, have not been spared in the violence. Many have been killed while on duty or while trying to protect their families. The loss of such a significant number of medical professionals is a devastating blow to a system already in collapse. Each loss not only reduces the capacity to care for the wounded but also chips away at the community’s ability to recover and rebuild.
Calls are growing louder for the international community to take immediate steps to ensure the protection of civilians and humanitarian personnel. Without urgent action to allow unhindered aid delivery and protect medical infrastructure, the death toll will continue to rise, and the suffering of Gaza’s population will deepen further.
