Gaza City, Gaza Strip – The health system in Gaza is nearing collapse as hospitals struggle with critical shortages and the ongoing war. At al-Shifa Hospital’s dialysis floor, 14-year-old Ruwaa Muntasir Abdul Karim from Jabalia is among many patients affected by the crisis.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, 50 percent of dialysis machines in Gaza have stopped working due to a shortage of sodium bicarbonate, a chemical necessary for their operation. Before the war, there were 1,200 kidney failure patients in Gaza; this number has dropped to about 700 after more than 470 patients died because of missed dialysis sessions and lack of essential medications, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights reported.

The mental health crisis is also severe. Asil Abu Shaweesh, a 27-year-old psychologist in central Gaza, said the widespread trauma stems from war, repeated displacement, loss of loved ones, and destruction of homes. “Everyone in these conditions needs psychological support, and this need will continue, making mental health a priority that needs to be responded to,” Abu Shaweesh said, working with an international organization providing psychological support.

The ongoing conflict and shortages have pushed Gaza’s hospitals to a breaking point, severely impacting vulnerable patients including dialysis patients, amputees, and trauma survivors.

Sources