Tessa Quinn
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine has resulted in a devastating impact on Palestinian hospitals and medical infrastructure. Since the start of the conflict in October 2023, hospitals in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, causing a near collapse of the region's healthcare system. As of late May 2024, only three hospitals in Gaza remain operational, struggling to provide adequate care to the injured and sick. This has led to a dire situation where thousands of Palestinians are at risk of dying due to a lack of access to healthcare. The situation in Palestine has resulted in a humanitarian crisis, with massive job losses, soaring unemployment, and a fragile economy in ruins.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of hospitals in Palestine | 36 |
| Number of hospitals damaged or destroyed | 31-32 out of 36 |
| Number of hospitals remaining | 3-17 |
| Status of remaining hospitals | Partially functioning, operating under severe limitations |
| Number of doctors detained by Israeli forces | 28 |
| Number of doctors who died in detention | 2 |
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What You'll Learn
Hospitals in Gaza damaged or destroyed by Israeli attacks
Hospitals in Gaza have been severely impacted by Israeli attacks, with many damaged or destroyed, exacerbating an already dire situation. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Gaza Strip has 36 hospitals, of which only 19 remain operational as of May 2025. Four major hospitals, including Kamal Adwan Hospital and Indonesia Hospital, have suspended services due to proximity to hostilities and attacks. The attacks have resulted in severe supply shortages, staff shortages, and a lack of security, hindering access to healthcare for Palestinians.
The conflict in Gaza has led to a near collapse of the healthcare system. Since October 2023, WHO has recorded 697 attacks on healthcare facilities in Gaza, with 28 attacks during a specific period in 2025. This has resulted in the damage or destruction of 31 to 36 hospitals, depending on the source. Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical complex in Gaza, has been destroyed and is out of service. The remaining hospitals are partially functioning and operating under severe limitations, with some on the verge of collapse.
The situation has been further exacerbated by Israeli restrictions on aid, leading to hunger and malnutrition among both the general population and medical staff. Nurses are fainting from hunger and dehydration, and doctors are struggling to treat patients due to shortages of medication, equipment, and staff. The lack of resources has resulted in inadequate medical treatment for those wounded in the conflict, with reports of surgeries being performed without anesthesia.
The attacks on hospitals and the detention of medical staff have raised serious concerns about Israel's compliance with international law. Medical personnel and hospitals are protected under international humanitarian law, and the attacks have hindered Palestinians' access to healthcare. The destruction of hospitals and the limited functioning of those remaining have had catastrophic consequences for the health and well-being of the Palestinian population in Gaza.
The international community has been urged to take action and provide support to alleviate the situation. Foreign governments have attempted to bolster medical assistance, but more needs to be done to address the urgent healthcare needs of the people in Gaza. The restoration of medical capacity and the prioritization of recovery and reconstruction efforts are crucial to improving the dire situation in Palestinian hospitals.
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The struggle to access healthcare outside of Palestine
The ongoing conflict in Palestine has had a devastating impact on the region's healthcare system, with hospitals damaged or destroyed, and medical staff detained, tortured, and killed. This has left Palestinians facing significant challenges in accessing healthcare, both within and outside of Palestine.
One of the main obstacles is the "Separation Wall," a 708-kilometer-long, 8-meter-high wall that separates the West Bank from Israel. This wall has fragmented the region, disrupted Palestinian access to essential services, and inhibited freedom of movement. As a result, Palestinians in the West Bank often require permits to enter Israel for medical services, facing protracted delays or permit denials. A 2013 World Health Organization report found that 17% of patient referrals from the West Bank to Israel were denied, and 93% of ambulance transfers experienced time-consuming delays at checkpoints.
The blockade of the Gaza Strip since 2007 has also severely impacted the movement of people and goods. Palestinians in Gaza must apply for Israeli permits to cross the checkpoint at Beit Hanoun (Erez) to reach the West Bank, Israel, or Jordan. The process has been made even more challenging with the recent closure of the Rafah crossing, blocking all Palestinians from seeking healthcare in Egypt. The few functional hospitals remaining in southern Gaza are overwhelmed and struggling to provide adequate care.
Palestinian healthcare workers themselves are not spared from the conflict. Israeli authorities have detained and imprisoned doctors and medical staff, accusing them of involvement in Hamas terror activity. Rights groups have reported torture, beatings, and humiliation of detained medical professionals. The detention and death of senior doctors have further exacerbated the shortage of specialists in Palestine.
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The detention and torture of Palestinian doctors
The conflict in Palestine has resulted in a dire situation for its healthcare system. Of the 36 hospitals in Gaza, 31 have been damaged or destroyed, with only 16 still functioning. The remaining hospitals are operating under severe limitations, with shortages of medication, equipment, and staff. This has been further exacerbated by the detention and alleged torture of Palestinian doctors and healthcare workers by Israeli forces.
Since the start of the conflict in October 2023, Israeli forces have arbitrarily detained Palestinian healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, and paramedics. These detentions have taken place during Israeli sieges of hospitals, during hospital evacuations, or at checkpoints when individuals are identified as healthcare workers. As of July 2025, 28 doctors from Gaza were being held in Israeli prisons, with 21 of them detained for more than 400 days, according to Healthcare Workers Watch.
Released doctors have reported mistreatment and torture while in Israeli custody. This includes beatings, forced stress positions, prolonged cuffing, blindfolding, denial of medical care, rape, and sexual abuse. The performative nature of the humiliation and torture of senior medical staff has had a devastating psychological impact on the detainees and the wider Gazan society. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has stated that if these allegations are verified, they would raise serious concerns about war crimes committed by Palestinian armed groups.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have denied the specific allegations, stating that they are operating to restore security to Israeli citizens. However, they have acknowledged that medical staff may be arrested and investigated for suspected involvement in Hamas terror activity. The involvement of medical staff in terror activity has also been denounced by Human Rights Watch, who have called for an end to the mistreatment of Palestinian healthcare workers. The acting Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, Balkees Jarrah, has urged for thorough investigations and punishment for any torture or ill-treatment of doctors, nurses, and paramedics.
The detention and alleged torture of Palestinian doctors have contributed to the catastrophic degradation of Gaza's healthcare system. With limited access to medical care, the situation for Palestinians in Gaza remains critical, and the international community is urged to do more to provide support and assistance.
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The impact of the conflict on Gaza's economy
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has had a devastating impact on the local economy, causing extensive damage to infrastructure, businesses, and agricultural assets. The situation has been described as an "economic freefall" by the UN Trade and Development body (UNCTAD).
Before the conflict, Gaza's economy was already struggling, with 61% of the population living below the poverty line. The war has exacerbated these conditions, with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) reporting that the conflict set back human development in Gaza and the West Bank by 11-16 years. The Palestinian economy has suffered significant losses, with a decline in GDP and employment, and a rise in poverty.
By the end of 2023, the Palestinian economy had lost $1.5 billion, and Gaza's economy shrunk by 80% in the fourth quarter. This was followed by a further decline in the first quarter of 2024, with Gaza's GDP plummeting by 81%. The conflict has disrupted economic activity, with increased restrictions on the movement of people and goods, and the loss of jobs. By January 2024, two-thirds of pre-war jobs in Gaza were lost, amounting to approximately 201,000 positions.
The agricultural sector has been particularly hard hit, with 80-96% of Gaza's agricultural assets, including irrigation systems, livestock farms, orchards, machinery, and storage facilities, decimated by early 2024. This has crippled the region's food production capacity and worsened food insecurity. The private sector has also suffered, with 82% of businesses in Gaza damaged or destroyed, impacting a key driver of the local economy.
The conflict has also had indirect economic impacts, such as the withholding of tax revenues by Israel, affecting the pay of about 143,000 workers. The increased Israeli military presence and settler violence have further hindered mobility and economic activity. The conflict has also disrupted trade and investment, with the Israeli government restricting 100,000 Palestinian laborers from entering Israel for work, impacting their incomes.
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The collapse of Gaza's healthcare infrastructure
Gaza's healthcare system has been on the brink of collapse, with many of its 36 hospitals damaged, raided, or destroyed. This has left only a fraction of hospitals partially functioning, operating under severe limitations. The largest hospital in Gaza, Al-Shifa, has been described as an empty shell by the World Health Organization (WHO), no longer serving patients. The destruction of medical facilities has resulted in limited access to emergency and life-saving medical care for Palestinians in Gaza, putting the lives of those severely injured at risk.
The conflict has also taken a toll on medical staff, with reports of rising detentions and deaths of doctors and aid workers. Israeli authorities have accused medical personnel of involvement in Hamas terror activity, with 28 doctors from Gaza held in prisons, including senior consultants in critical specialities. The detention and alleged torture of medical staff have weakened their capacity to provide urgent care to injured civilians.
The infrastructure damage in Gaza is estimated at US$2 billion, and the reconstruction process is expected to take 3 to 5 years. The ban on construction materials entering Gaza, due to Israeli authorities' concerns about bomb-making, has created challenges for rebuilding hospitals and essential infrastructure. The destruction of water and sanitation systems has led to unsanitary conditions, increasing the risk of diseases, as evidenced by the resurgence of polio.
The crisis in Gaza's healthcare system has resulted in a lack of adequate treatment for people with disabilities and chronic conditions. Those who have been wounded receive inadequate medical treatment, and the restriction on ambulance movement has further hindered access to healthcare. The closure of the Rafah crossing has blocked Palestinians from seeking healthcare in Egypt, impacting those who require critical care.
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Frequently asked questions
As of late May 2024, only three hospitals in Gaza remain operational.
Since the start of the conflict in Gaza, 31 out of 36 hospitals have been damaged or destroyed. The remaining hospitals in Gaza are partially functioning and operating under severe limitations.
The destruction of hospitals in Palestine has resulted in limited access to treatments and medicines for people with disabilities and chronic conditions. The situation has also led to inadequate medical treatment for those wounded, with reports of surgeries being performed without anesthesia. Additionally, there is a shortage of medical staff due to detentions and evacuation orders.
