DaysofPal- One year into the escalation of war in Gaza, the medical and humanitarian situation is catastrophic, said Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF).
Israel’s all-out war and punishing siege have destroyed Gaza’s already fragile health system, repeatedly displaced people who have been forced into smaller and smaller areas, and choked off access to desperately needed food, water, and medicines.
The Israeli military launched a horrific assault on Gaza that has so far killed more than 41,500 people, wounded 96,000, and displaced approximately 1.9 million people. Violence has since surged in the West Bank, in Lebanon, and across the region.
“This has been a year of unrelenting horror and violence against civilians, with no end in sight,” said Avril Benoît, chief executive officer of MSF USA. “As this conflict spreads across the region, we repeat our urgent call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. This is the only way to stop the spiraling violence and bring lifesaving care to people who are struggling to survive.”
Palestinians in Gaza are suffering from war wounds, infectious diseases, malnutrition, and mental trauma while living in overcrowded and inhumane conditions. MSF medical staff have treated patients on a daily basis with wounds caused by bombings.
People have extensive burns, crushed bones, and amputated limbs—all of which require intensive and long-term care that is not possible under current conditions. Since the escalation of war last October, MSF teams have treated more than 27,500 patients for violence-related injuries, with more than 80 percent of the wounds linked to shelling.
Our teams have been forced to perform surgeries without anesthesia, witness children die on hospital floors due to a lack of resources, and even treat their own colleagues and family members. Meanwhile, the health care system in Gaza has been systematically dismantled by Israeli forces.
“Israeli bombardments of densely populated areas have repeatedly caused injuries on a massive scale,” said Dr. Amber Alayyan, MSF medical program manager. “Our teams have been forced to perform surgeries without anesthesia, witness children die on hospital floors due to a lack of resources, and even treat their own colleagues and family members. Meanwhile, the health care system in Gaza has been systematically dismantled by Israeli forces.”
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