The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a stark warning about the collapse of Gaza’s already crippled healthcare system, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire as the territory’s major medical facility, Nasser Medical Complex, teeters on the brink of shutdown.
Nasser Medical Complex and Al-Amal Hospital — the last two operational public hospitals in Khan Younis — are now at serious risk of becoming non-functional.
This comes as Israeli authorities have informed Gaza’s Ministry of Health that access roads to both facilities will be obstructed, severely hampering the movement of patients, staff, and aid.
No formal evacuation orders have been issued, but the hospitals lie in or near the evacuation zone declared on 2 June.
The WHO stated that both hospitals are operating well beyond their capacity, with Nasser Medical Complex functioning at 180 per cent and Al-Amal at 100 per cent. Yet, life-threatening injuries continue to pour in as the conflict escalates and essential medical supplies run dry.
“Losing the two hospitals would cut 490 beds, reducing the Gaza Strip’s overall hospital bed availability to less than 1400 hospital beds for the entire population of 2 million people,” said a WHO spokesperson.
This marks a 40% reduction from pre-conflict levels and further weakens access to critical care, including surgery, cancer treatment, dialysis, and emergency transfusions.
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The WHO emphasised that only 17 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals remain partially functional. Of these, just five — including Nasser and Al-Amal — serve as major referral centres and currently support 75 per cent of all hospital beds in the region.
The agency also highlighted the catastrophic shortage of supplies. Fifty trucks carrying vital medicines and equipment remain stalled at Al-Arish in Egypt and the West Bank, unable to enter Gaza due to ongoing restrictions.
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Despite efforts by one national and four international Emergency Medical Teams stationed at Nasser and Al-Amal, the healthcare system is buckling under relentless pressure.
WHO and partner organisations, operating under extreme duress for over 20 months, are now sounding the alarm louder than ever.
“The relentless and systematic decimation of hospitals in Gaza has been going on for too long. It must end immediately,” the WHO urged. “Patients seeking refuge and care to save their lives must not risk losing them trying to reach hospitals. Hospitals must never be militarised or targeted.”
The agency called for the urgent protection of healthcare facilities and unrestricted delivery of medical aid.
Most critically, WHO reiterated its demand for an immediate ceasefire, warning that without it, Gaza’s health system faces imminent and irreversible collapse.
