Gaza hospitals overwhelmed as humanitarian crisis deepens

Wednesday 13 August 2025 - 14:30

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the few hospitals still operating in Gaza are at breaking point, struggling to cope with a relentless influx of wounded people following incidents near humanitarian aid distribution points.

Thousands of residents, risking their lives, continue to gather at food drop locations or wait for aerial deliveries. These gatherings often lead to chaotic scenes and injuries, further burdening an already devastated healthcare system.

“Hospitals are especially overwhelmed by injuries from aid distribution areas, leading to persistent shortages of blood and plasma,” said Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, WHO’s representative in the occupied Palestinian territories, during a UN press briefing in Geneva.

Since May 27, 2025, at least 1,655 people have been killed and nearly 12,000 injured while trying to access food supplies. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a U.S. and Israeli-backed relief program, has faced sharp criticism from UN agencies and international NGOs over its operations, which have often been marred by disorder and gunfire from Israeli forces targeting civilians seeking food.

Malnutrition remains rampant. As of August 5, the WHO recorded 147 deaths linked to hunger, including 98 adults and 49 children—39 of them under the age of five. Gaza’s Ministry of Health reports an even higher toll of 227 famine-related deaths, with five more in the past 24 hours.

In July alone, nearly 12,000 children under five were diagnosed with acute malnutrition, including 2,562 with severe cases. Forty required hospitalization in stabilization centers. The WHO warns that the health situation is “catastrophic,” with only 50% of hospitals and 38% of primary care facilities partially functional.

Occupancy rates have far exceeded capacity: 240% at Shifa Hospital, 210% at Rantissi, 180% at Nasser, and 300% at Ahli. More than half of essential medications are out of stock.

“Critical equipment such as functional medical devices, intensive care beds, cold-chain medicines, and anesthesia machines have been denied entry. While 282 pallets of supplies entered via Ben Gurion, customs clearance remains extremely slow,” Dr. Peeperkorn added, urging for the opening of multiple humanitarian crossings into Gaza.

The WHO also expressed concern that its warehouse in Gaza lies within an evacuation zone, recalling the destruction of its main southern facility earlier this year. Evacuation measures now affect several healthcare points, including three hospitals, a field hospital, and multiple primary care centers.

Meanwhile, the territory is seeing a spike in infectious diseases. Between July and August 7, 452 suspected meningitis cases and 76 suspected Guillain-Barré syndrome cases were reported. Isolation measures have been enforced in several hospitals, including Al Khair, Nasser Medical Complex, and Al Aqsa Hospital.