Israeli embargo pushes Gaza's hospitals to the brink of collapse

A humanitarian calamity is brewing in the heart of the Gaza Strip, with hospitals on the verge of collapsing. The Israeli embargo has put a burden on hospital facilities by cutting off vital supplies, power, and clean water. Doctors, nurses, and patients find themselves in a harrowing situation, grappling with scarce resources, ingenuity put to the test, and the overwhelming number of casualties.

When Israeli bombings escalated following the border incursion by Hamas militants on October 7, the toll on civilians has been devastating. Approximately 1,400 people, mostly civilians, have been killed and nearly 200 more kidnapped. Entire communities have been decimated, and five hospitals have been forced to close. The number of injured far outnumbers the capability of the surviving medical facilities.

According to Dr. Nidal Abed, a 51-year-old orthopedic surgeon with Doctors Without Borders, the situation is dire. He went on to say, "We have a shortage of everything, and we are dealing with extremely complex surgeries." Dr. Abed has been treating patients under the most challenging conditions imaginable – on the hospital floor, in crowded corridors, and rooms meant for two patients are now crammed with ten. Medical supplies are in critically short supply, leading to makeshift solutions like using clothes for bandages, vinegar as antiseptic, and sewing needles for surgical procedures.

The desperation is palpable, as clean water becomes scarce, basic medical supplies run out, and fuel for generators dwindles. Israel's offensive has killed thousands and left more wounded than Gaza's healthcare system can handle, leaving doctors and patients in a state of perpetual terror.

“We have a shortage of everything, and we are dealing with very complex surgeries,” Abed, who works with Doctors Without Borders, told The Associated Press. Despite the Israeli military's evacuation order, Al Quds Hospital continues to treat hundreds of patients, and it has also become a refuge for 10,000 Palestinians displaced by the bombings.

The situation reached a tipping point when food, water, and medication from Egypt were finally allowed into Gaza after being held up for days at the border. However, experts and health professionals warn that this help is only a drop in the bucket in the face of the escalating humanitarian disaster.

A Hamas-run Health Ministry official, Mehdat Abbas, highlighted his fears, stating, "It's a nightmare." If more aid doesn’t come in, I fear we’ll get to the point where going to a hospital will do more harm than good."

Innovations born out of necessity are evident across Gaza's hospitals. Dr. Abed had to resort to using household vinegar as a disinfectant and, when it ran out, saline mixed with polluted water for cleaning wounds. Surgical supplies are running low, forcing some staff to use sewing needles for stitching wounds, which can cause further damage. The scarcity of bandages has led medics to use clothes for burn wounds, increasing the risk of infections. Orthopedic implants are in short supply, forcing doctors to use ill-fitting screws. The shortage of antibiotics means patients are given single pills rather than multiple courses, even in the face of severe bacterial infections.

With Gaza's sole power plant cut off from fuel, generators have taken over to keep life-support equipment running in hospitals. Authorities are desperately scrounging for diesel, and United Nations agencies are distributing their dwindling stocks. The situation is so dire that, in some hospitals, the lights have already gone out, forcing surgical teams to use their iPhones for light during procedures.

At Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest healthcare facility, the intensive care unit is barely functioning on generators, while most other wards are plunged into darkness. The lack of power has turned air conditioning into a luxury of the past, leaving doctors and patients to endure the sweltering heat.

But it's not just the lack of resources that plagues Gaza's hospitals. The sheer number of casualties is overwhelming. Hospitals, designed for routine healthcare, are now struggling to cope with the load of injured patients.

“Even a normal hospital with equipment would not be able to deal with what we’re facing,” Abed said. “It would collapse.”

Shifa Hospital, with a maximum capacity of 700 people, is currently overwhelmed, treating 5,000 individuals. Patients in critical condition spill out of operating rooms, and doctors perform surgeries in overcrowded corridors.

Doctors and nurses bear a tremendous emotional toll. Dr. Abed, like many others, are burdened with the difficult task of deciding which patients to prioritize when resources are limited.

"You have to decide," he continued. "Because you know that many will not make it."

The situation in Gaza's hospitals remains dire, and international assistance is more important than ever. The ongoing siege and its fatal consequences are inflicting havoc on the people of Gaza, who are caught in the crossfire of a protracted struggle with no end in sight.