Gaza Healthcare Workers Facing Starvation Amidst Conflict, Reports Indicate
Breaking News: Healthcare adn aid workers in Gaza are reportedly fainting from hunger and exhaustion due to severe food shortages, according to the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa).Medical staff are facing agonizing choices between providing critical care and seeking sustenance for their families.
Evergreen Context: The Devastation of Gaza’s Healthcare System
The conflict in Gaza has had a catastrophic impact on the region’s healthcare infrastructure. As of May, the World Health Institution reported that at least 94% of all hospitals in the Gaza Strip had sustained damage or destruction, with onyl 19 of the territory’s 36 hospitals remaining operational.
Healthcare professionals on the ground are experiencing unprecedented levels of food insecurity, leading to weakened immunity, recurrent infections, profound fatigue, and instances of fainting during critical medical procedures and rescue efforts. Muath Alser, director of Healthcare Worker Watch, a Palestinian medical organization, has emphasized the urgent need for action beyond mere condemnation.
Concerns have also been raised about the safety of accessing food distribution sites, some of which are managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and guarded by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Thes sites are reportedly the sole channels for food and aid distribution to civilians. As May, the UN has documented over 1,000 fatalities among individuals seeking food at these centers and other humanitarian convoys.
In response to reported incidents of civilian harm at distribution facilities, the IDF stated that it is indeed working to facilitate humanitarian aid distribution to support Gaza’s hospitals.The military also indicated that thorough examinations were conducted following such incidents, leading to updated instructions for field forces and ongoing reviews by competent authorities.
