Gaza hospitals are in crisis after the Israeli-blockade has crippled the medical response to hundreds of people likely dead or injured following the destruction of Al Wahda medical center in central Gaza city.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that the ongoing blockade of the Gaza Strip has worsened the effects of the explosion. Since 2007, Israel and Egypt have imposed a blockade that collects multiple restrictions on the imports and exports of essential goods, including medical supplies, into Gaza.
The blockade has crippled the economy, leaving hospitals without the vital medical resources needed to save lives. This has been devastingly illustrated in the recent explosion where the Al Wahda hospital was destroyed, killing and injuring hundreds of people.
WHO has expressed deep alarm at the consequences that the Israeli-blockade has had on the explosion. The healthcare crisis in Gaza was already dire, with serious shortages of medical supplies, equipment and staff. The World Health Organisation point out that the blockade has aggravated the situation yet further.
The destruction of the Al Wahda medical centre has had serious implications, not only for the communities in Gaza but for the thousands of refugees that cannot get treatments and treatments that they need.
The destruction of medical infrastructure in Gaza has occurred multiple times in the past. the lack of medical resources has been seen many times before. This, coupled with the restrictions imposed by the blockade, has led to critical shortages and a public health crisis.
The World Health Organisation has strongly criticised the effects of the blockade on the medical response to the explosion. It is clear that a humanitarian crisis is developing in Gaza, and immediate action must be taken.
The WHO have repeatedly called for the blockade to be lifted, and for governments to increase funding to support the medical response to the desperate situation facing the Gaza Strip. The international community must take immediate action to address the humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza and ensure that no further destruction of vital medical infrastructure is allowed.