“Healthcare Genocide”: Two Years of Israeli Assault on Gaza: A Glimpse into the Health Sector Crisis

Gaza (QNN)- Tuesday marked the second anniversary of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, which began in October 2023 and ended on Friday after both Hamas and Israel agreed to a ceasefire plan proposed by US President Trump.

The Palestinian Health Ministry has released a detailed update on the state of the health sector.

In a statement, the Ministry said: “What is happening in the Gaza Strip is not merely a humanitarian crisis, nor just another chapter in the long history of Israeli occupation crimes. It is the deliberate and total collapse of one of the most fundamental pillars of human life: the healthcare system.

Over the past 730 days, Gaza’s health sector has endured relentless and devastating Israeli attacks that have systematically dismantled its critical infrastructure and service capacity.

The scale and severity of this destruction have resulted in what can only be described as a “healthcare genocide”, a term that captures the catastrophic conditions now defining the health and humanitarian landscape in Gaza.

These conditions have raised alarm among international observers and decision-makers, who are now questioning whether even minimal emergency healthcare services can be sustained.

Hospitals have been effectively reduced to hollow concrete shells under the weight of continuous, both direct and indirect, military assaults. Diagnostic and treatment services have all but collapsed.”

After two years of war, the Ministry of Health reports the following:

⚫ Human Losses:
Total casualties:
67,200 killed
169,961 injured
Of the martyrs:
20,179 children
10,427 women
4,813 elderly
31,754 men
Healthcare workers:
1,701 medical personnel killed
362 detained under forced disappearance and denied basic human rights

⚫ Collapse of Healthcare Infrastructure
Hospitals:
25 out of 38 hospitals are completely non-functional
13 hospitals operate partially under dire conditions
Primary healthcare centers:
103 out of 157 centers have been destroyed
Only 54 centers are partially operational

⚫ Medical Supply Crisis:
Severe disruption of medical supply chains and obstruction of safe delivery to hospitals
The soaring number of casualties has worsened shortages in life-saving supplies
Shortages have reached critical levels:
55% of essential medicines are completely out of stock
66% of medical consumables depleted
68% of lab supplies unavailable

⚫ Bed Capacity and Critical Injuries:
Hospital bed occupancy reached 225% by the end of September 2025 — a catastrophic increase from 82% the previous year
A sharp rise in emergency admissions and critical cases continues to overwhelm remaining facilities

⚫ Infrastructure Devastation:
Direct attacks on health facilities have destroyed critical support systems
25 out of 35 oxygen generation stations destroyed
61 out of 110 electrical generators destroyed

⚫ Worsening Famine and Malnutrition:
Gaza is now experiencing severe famine, as classified by UN agencies
460 recorded deaths due to starvation and malnutrition, including 154 children
51,196 children under age five are suffering from acute malnutrition

⚫ Forced Displacement and Disease Spread:
Overcrowding in so-called “humanitarian zones” has worsened living conditions
A total lack of basic necessities has led to widespread disease, water scarcity, and food insecurity

⚫ Immunization Collapse:
Routine and emergency vaccinations have been blocked
Childhood immunization coverage has dropped to 80%
The fourth phase of polio vaccination has been halted, threatening the success of earlier efforts as disease risks escalate

⚫ Disability and Long-Term Needs:
4,900 people with amputations and permanent disabilities require urgent support, assistive devices, and long-term rehabilitation

⚫ Medical Evacuation Denied:
Closure of border crossings has prevented 18,000 patients from accessing treatment abroad, including 5,580 children

⚫ Ongoing Heroism Under Fire:
Despite all risks and destruction, medical teams in Gaza continue to perform their humanitarian and national duties — under constant threat to their own lives and to the lives of their patients

🔴 Urgent Call to Action:
In light of these devastating realities, the Ministry of Health issues an urgent appeal to all concerned parties to:
•Immediately intervene with comprehensive emergency measures
•Ensure the safe delivery of medical supplies and equipment
•Hold the Israeli occupation accountable for the continued destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system
•Safeguard the medical rights of patients and the wounded
•Guarantee the protection and safety of medical and emergency response teams