A ceasefire in name only: Gaza’s healthcare system still faces catastrophic destruction and shortages

AI Summary

A BMJ News report says Gaza's healthcare system remains in a severe emergency despite the ceasefire, with extensive destruction, shortages, and major barriers to medical care. A UN, EU, and World Bank assessment estimates healthcare recovery will require more than $10 billion and documents the loss or departure of about 14% of the healthcare workforce since October 2023.

In April the United Nations, European Union, and World Bank published their Final Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment for Gaza.1 The report estimates that Gaza’s development has been set back by 77 years and that healthcare is one of the worst affected sectors.It is projected to need more than $10bn to rebuild and recover from the Israeli military’s systematic campaign of destruction. Since October 2023, approximately 14% of the healthcare workforce has been killed, died, been detained by Israeli forces, left the profession, or fled.2 However, the notion that Gaza has entered a phase of recovery is inaccurate and dangerous—we are still very much in a state of emergency.The UN report documents the immense barriers to delivering even the most basic medical care that my colleagues at Medical Aid for Palestinians and our partner organisations in Gaza have experienced daily for more than three years. We are witnessing the consequences...