A policy paper authored by the Palestinian researcher Shaima’ Bassam Abu Sa‘dah, and published by al-Zaytouna Centre for Studies and Consultations under the title “Targeting the Health System in the Gaza Strip: The Consequences of Genocide and the Urgent Need for an International Response,” reveals the catastrophic collapse of the health system in the Gaza Strip (GS) as a result of what she describes as “an ongoing war of genocide and intensified blockade” since 7/10/2023.
The paper stresses that Israel is implementing a systematic policy aimed at dismantling the health infrastructure in the GS. This is carried out through the direct targeting of hospitals and ambulances, the arrest of doctors and nurses, the imposition of a blockade that prevents the entry of essential medicines, and the denial of patients’ right to travel for treatment. Such practices constitute a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and pose a direct threat to the fundamental rights to life and medical care.
According to the statistics presented in the paper, Israel carried out 697 attacks on healthcare facilities in the GS between October 2023 and May 2025. By August 2025, the number of killed had exceeded 62 thousand, including more than 1,590 medical personnel, while operational capacity in certain hospitals had fallen below 20%, most notably at the al-Shifa Medical Complex.
The paper warns that the health system in GS now stands on the verge of a “large-scale health genocide,” with over 300 thousand patients suffering from chronic illnesses; such as cancer, kidney disease and diabetes, facing life-threatening risks due to the interruption of medicine supplies and the closure of border crossings. Meanwhile, 16 thousand patients await permits for treatment outside GS, of whom 633 have already died before receiving approval. Furthermore, the paper highlights a widespread outbreak of infectious diseases, with an average of 10,300 new cases per week, including 9,915 cases recorded between 4 and 10 August 2025.
The paper outlined three possible scenarios for the future of the health system in GS. Each scenario demonstrates that its trajectory is contingent upon the extent to which Israel respects international humanitarian law, the degree of international intervention to ensure the delivery of aid, the protection of medical facilities and personnel, and the rehabilitation of the destroyed infrastructure. Absent such measures, the catastrophe of health-related genocide will continue to escalate unchecked.
In addition, the paper examined a set of feasible political and strategic alternatives to mitigate the worsening crisis. These alternatives span urgent humanitarian measures, international legal action, and diplomatic initiatives. Among the most significant proposals are the activation of international humanitarian channels to secure the delivery of medicines and medical equipment, international pressure to declare GS a zone of humanitarian and health disaster, and the internationalization of the targeting of the health sector as an act of genocide before international courts. The paper argued that the first alternative is the most realistic at present, given that it constitutes a rapid and direct solution that can be implemented immediately, without entanglement in political or legal complexities. Moreover, it represents the only currently available option to save lives and mitigate the complete collapse of the health system in GS.
The paper presented a set of recommendations aimed at strengthening the resilience of the health system in GS. It called for sustained psychological and material support for medical personnel, as well as the provision of a secure working environment. Furthermore, it urged both local and international decision-makers, in addition to human rights organizations, to dispatch international medical missions to GS in order to provide direct assistance, assess health conditions and secure urgent medical supplies.
Furthermore, the paper called for GS to be classified by the UN as a zone of health and humanitarian disaster, and for the establishment of safe humanitarian corridors under the supervision of specialized organizations to ensure the delivery of aid. The recommendations also emphasized the imperative of exerting political and legal pressure to end the blockade, open border crossings, prevent the targeting of health facilities, and guarantee the freedom of movement for patients seeking treatment outside GS. Moreover, the paper proposed the formation of an international commission of inquiry to collect evidence against Israel for submission to the International Criminal Court (ICC), alongside the launch of global media campaigns to expose Israel’s crimes.
| Click here to download: >> Policy Paper: Targeting the Health System in the Gaza Strip … Shaima’ Bassam Abu Sa‘dah (Arabic)  (24 pages, 5.2 MB) |
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