Hospitals in Gaza are facing severe challenges amid the ongoing conflict, with several healthcare facilities no longer able to function due to critical shortages of essential medicines and supplies.
Many hospitals have been forced to scale back or cease operations, further exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation.
As the conflict continues to escalate in Gaza, the healthcare system is being pushed to its limits.
"We are experiencing a critical shortage, with over 80 percent of the medicines needed for intensive care and surgical departments, and shortage in more than 60 percent of the medical supplies needed. Kidney failure patients are suffering after the Indonesian Hospital went out of service, and we have no alternative facility for them," said Mohammed Abu Selmya, director of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza.
"We are facing big difficulties working in Gaza, as we're operating under constant military escalation in Gaza and working in life-threatening conditions. Equipment shortages are severe, and we are functioning with bare minimum resources. We work under fire, with no safe spaces or protection for medical teams, in violation of international law. Sadly, the Israeli army disregards this and continues to act with impunity," said a paramedic named Youssef Al-Hindi.
The challenges facing hospitals are not limited to equipment and medical supplies. The situation within hospitals is becoming increasingly dire, with overcrowded wards and insufficient resources to meet the needs of injured patients.
"The hospital is overcrowded, there's no space, and patients' beds are crammed together. There is no treatment or medicine. I receive only one day's worth of medication so others can get some too. We're all in the same situation, without proper medication. Yesterday, I was only given a single change of bandages, I was supposed to change bandages twice. Also, I'm hungry, but no one is bringing food," an injured patient named Awad Abu Riya said.
United Nations agencies have reported worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza since a two and a half months of border closure that blocked humanitarian assistance was imposed on March 2.
Gazan hospitals facing critical shortages of supplies amid conflict
