Logan Reid
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has resulted in a humanitarian crisis, with hospitals and healthcare workers bearing the brunt of it. The World Health Organization (WHO) has verified 654 attacks on healthcare facilities in Gaza since October 2023, with only 19 out of 36 hospitals remaining operational as of May 2025. These hospitals are struggling with severe supply shortages, a lack of healthcare workers, and a constant influx of casualties. The situation is dire, with hospitals becoming battlegrounds and the healthcare system on the brink of collapse.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of hospitals in Gaza | 36 |
| Number of hospitals damaged or destroyed | 31 out of 36 |
| Number of hospitals that remain operational | 19 |
| Number of hospitals providing a variety of health services | 12 |
| Number of hospitals only able to provide basic emergency care | 7 |
| Number of hospitals in northern Gaza that are functioning | 0 |
| Number of hospitals in southern and central Gaza that are operational | 7 out of 23 |
| Number of hospitals in North Gaza | 11 |
| Number of hospitals in southern Gaza | 3 |
| Number of hospital beds available | 2000 |
| Number of hospitals that suspended medical services due to proximity to hostilities or evacuation zones | 4 |
| Number of attacks on healthcare facilities in Gaza since October 2023 | 697 |
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What You'll Learn
Hospitals in Gaza are being used as terrorist bases by Hamas
The healthcare system in Gaza has been described as "collapsed", with fewer than half of the hospitals operational. This is due in part to the Israeli military's dismantling of the health system, leaving people without access to care. Israel has also claimed that Hamas is using hospitals and networks of tunnels beneath them as bases to conduct and promote terrorist activity. U.S. officials have backed this claim, and it has been reported that Hamas militants have killed people inside hospitals.
In November 2023, Israeli military officials brought journalists to the Al-Rantisi Hospital in Gaza City, alleging that it was a Hamas command center. While Hamas and hospital administrators have denied these claims, a France 24 investigation concluded that the images and videos of the tunnels were consistent with those built by Hamas. Additionally, during the Fatah-Hamas conflict in 2007, it was reported that Hamas militants killed members of both organizations inside the hospital.
Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical complex in Gaza, has also been alleged to be used by Hamas as its main operations base. While Hamas denied these claims, US intelligence concurred with Israel's assessment based on interrogations with captured Hamas militants. Furthermore, Amnesty International noted that while they had not seen evidence of a command center, they did find that Hamas had used the hospital to store hostages.
The European Union has strongly condemned the use of hospitals for any purposes other than medical, emphasizing the mandatory protection of civilians under International Humanitarian Law. The EU has mobilized crisis response tools to channel medical aid to Gaza and increase funding to humanitarian partners. Despite these efforts, the healthcare situation in Gaza remains dire, with limited access to emergency medical care and thousands of severely injured people at risk of dying.
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Hospitals are struggling with severe supply shortages
Hospitals in Gaza are struggling with severe supply shortages, a lack of health workers, and persistent insecurity, all while staff work in impossible conditions. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the health system in Gaza is at a breaking point as hostilities intensify.
The conflict in Gaza has resulted in the damage or destruction of 31 out of 36 hospitals. The remaining hospitals are partially functioning and operating under severe limitations. The European Gaza Hospital, for example, recently stopped functioning after the IDF issued an evacuation order. Al-Aqsa Hospital, the only remaining hospital in the Deir el-Balah area, was also reported to be overwhelmed by patients.
Al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza has warned of critical medicine and medical supply shortages, compounded by a fuel supply cut. The hospital's director, Mohammad Saleha, stated that the fuel shortage hindered the facility's operations and forced them to use the main generator, which consumes more fuel. The hospital has also faced a shortage of ambulances due to targeted attacks by Israeli forces, endangering lives due to delayed medical care.
The Indonesian Hospital is also out of service due to a continued military presence, and the Kamal Adwan Hospital, which had the only centre to treat patients with severe acute malnutrition in North Gaza, went out of service due to intense hostilities in its vicinity. The Health Ministry announced that the generators at two key Gaza hospitals were hours from shutting down, and Gaza's only cancer hospital was "completely out of service" due to a lack of fuel.
The situation has led to an impending disease outbreak due to hospital overcrowding and unburied bodies, with surgeons operating without painkillers. The WHO reported that there were only "24 hours of water, electricity, and fuel left" before a "real catastrophe." The EU has responded to the humanitarian crisis by mobilizing crisis response tools and increasing funding to channel medical aid to Gaza.
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Hospitals are being evacuated
Hospitals in Gaza are being evacuated due to the ongoing conflict with Israel, with patients and staff being forced into life-threatening situations. The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that Israeli military operations have resulted in the evacuation or closure of several hospitals, leaving only a few partially functioning hospitals in Gaza. The European Gaza Hospital, for example, stopped functioning after the IDF issued an evacuation order for the area.
The Gaza healthcare system is on the brink of collapse, with WHO verifying 654 attacks on healthcare facilities in Gaza since October 2023, resulting in 886 fatalities and 1,349 injuries. The situation is dire, with limited access to essential care and a shortage of medical supplies, fuel, and other resources. Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has reported that hospitals are unable to cope with the overwhelming number of patients, leading to patients dying on hospital floors.
The continuous sieges and evacuation orders on hospitals are pushing humanitarian aid activities into smaller territories and limiting their response capabilities. MSF has offered surgical support, wound care, physiotherapy, maternity and pediatric care, primary health care, vaccination, and mental health services in hospitals, clinics, and other facilities in Gaza. However, the evacuation orders and attacks on hospitals are making it increasingly difficult to provide these vital services.
The UN Security Council has met to debate the collapse of health services in Gaza, with the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, calling the destruction of hospitals a "human rights catastrophe." Türk stressed the importance of protecting hospitals during warfare, stating that it must be respected by all sides at all times. Despite the devastation, Gaza's health workers and partners, including WHO, continue to provide essential services against all odds.
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Hospitals are being targeted and destroyed
Hospitals in Gaza have been the target of attacks and destruction, with sources reporting that Israeli forces have systematically targeted healthcare facilities, dismantling the region's healthcare system. The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that 28 attacks on healthcare facilities in Gaza were recorded in a week, with 697 attacks since October 2023.
The European Gaza Hospital, located in Khan Younis, ceased operations after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued an evacuation order due to its proximity to a combat zone. The Al-Awda Hospital, the last functioning hospital in northern Gaza, was also forced to close after being directly targeted by Israeli forces, leaving the region without a functional hospital. The IDF denied threatening hospital staff, stating that they allowed them to evacuate due to the hospital's location near a "terror infrastructure." However, the WHO reported that patient triage tents provided by them caught fire, destroying medical supplies and vehicles.
The Gaza Health Ministry accused Israel of besieging and directly targeting the Al-Awda Hospital, wounding several medical staff. The hospital's director documented the collapse, capturing the moment staff and patients were forced to flee. The Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani Hospital for Rehabilitation and Prosthetics, the first hospital in Gaza to provide prosthetic limbs, was heavily damaged during an Israeli bombardment in 2021 and again in May 2025.
The Indonesian Hospital, Kamal Adwan Hospital, Hamad Hospital for Rehabilitation and Prosthetics, and European Gaza Hospital have all suspended medical services due to their proximity to conflict zones or evacuation orders. The Gaza Health Ministry also reported that the maternity ward at the Al-Helou International Hospital was hit by an Israeli bombardment. The Kuwaiti Hospital was overwhelmed by a large number of wounded patients following an airstrike in Rafah, and emergency teams struggled to reach them.
The targeting and destruction of hospitals in Gaza have resulted in a collapse of the region's healthcare system, with fewer than half of the hospitals operational. The situation has been described as "horrific and catastrophic," with surgeons operating without essential supplies and electricity. The WHO warned of an impending disease outbreak due to hospital overcrowding and unburied bodies, with only "24 hours of water, electricity, and fuel left."
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Hospitals are overcrowded and unable to cope with patients
Hospitals in Gaza are struggling to cope with the influx of patients, with many operating at minimal capacity and facing severe shortages of essential supplies and staff. The ongoing conflict and military presence have disrupted access to healthcare and hindered the ability of hospitals to function effectively. This has resulted in overcrowding and a lack of resources to treat the rising number of patients, including those with chronic illnesses and injuries from airstrikes.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are currently 36 hospitals and nine field hospitals in Gaza. However, as of October 2024, only four field hospitals were fully functioning, all located in central or southern Gaza. Of the remaining hospitals and field hospitals, 22 were partially functioning, while 19 were non-functional. The situation has only worsened since then, with intensified military operations and displacement further straining the already fragile healthcare system.
In May 2025, the WHO warned that the health system in Gaza was at a breaking point. Four major hospitals, including Kamal Adwan Hospital and Indonesia Hospital, had to suspend medical services due to their proximity to hostilities and evacuation zones. Across the Gaza Strip, only 2,000 hospital beds were available for a population of over 2 million people, a stark illustration of the overcrowding and lack of capacity in Gaza's hospitals.
The impact of this overcrowding is devastating. Patients with chronic diseases, such as kidney patients requiring dialysis, face the risk of not receiving the medical care they need. Hospitals are struggling to cope with the surge of injured people, and the lack of resources has resulted in only the most acute cases receiving surgery. The situation is further exacerbated by the damage to hospitals and medical equipment, as well as the disruption to electricity, water, and fuel supplies, which are critical for hospitals to function.
The statements from healthcare professionals and organizations paint a dire picture of the situation in Gaza's hospitals. Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) described the situation as "horrific and catastrophic," with surgeons operating without painkillers and hospitals overwhelmed with injuries and running low on supplies. The Gaza Health Ministry and WHO have also reported hospitals being out of service, leaving certain areas without functional medical facilities. The continuous attacks on healthcare and the obstruction of access to care have left the healthcare system in Gaza on the brink of collapse, with devastating consequences for the civilian population.
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Frequently asked questions
As of May 2025, only 19 of Gaza's 36 hospitals remain operational.
There were 36 hospitals and 9 field hospitals in Gaza before the conflict.
The hospitals that remain operational are struggling under severe supply shortages, a lack of health workers, persistent insecurity, and a surge of casualties, all while staff work in difficult conditions.
The destruction of hospitals has resulted in 886 fatalities and 1,349 injuries. The lack of access to essential care has also led to an impending disease outbreak due to hospital overcrowding and unburied bodies.
