Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The first ship of the Maghreb fleet delivering aid to break the siege on Gaza departs from the port of Gammarth in Tunisia.
Channel 12: Airspace closed at Ramon Airport due to fears of drone infiltration
IOF Spokesperson: Sirens sounded over an aircraft infiltration in the Bir Ora area, and details are being examined
Drone infiltration sirens sound north of the Gulf of Aqaba
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out five extremely violent raids on the western areas of Gaza City
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out major bombings in the Gaza Strip, the most violent since October 7
Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree: The missile force carried out a major operation using the Palestine 2 ballistic hypersonic missile, hitting several targets in occupied Yafa.
Sirens sound in large areas of occupied Palestine after a missile launch from Yemen was detected
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: 14 martyrs arrive at al-Shifa Hospital following Israeli massacre of al-Sultan Family north of Gaza.
Qatari PM: We must not surrender to the arrogance of extremists and pursue our quest for a 'two-state solution'

WHO announces the 'decimation' of Gaza's healthcare system

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News websites
  • 24 Dec 2023 20:04
3 Min Read

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, announced the "decimation" of Gaza's healthcare system.

  • x
  • Smoke rises following an Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023 (AP Photo)
    Smoke rises following an Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern occupied Palestine, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023 (AP Photo)

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, announced the "decimation" of Gaza's healthcare system, repeating the call for a permanent ceasefire in the Strip, in a Sunday post on X. 

The decimation of the #Gaza health system is a tragedy.

But in the face of constant insecurity and inflows of wounded patients, we see doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers and more continue striving to save lives.@WHO and our health partners will continue working side by side… pic.twitter.com/Lq62KoQI1f

— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) December 24, 2023

He commended the medical personnel who have been working tirelessly and relentlessly at exponentially accelerated rates due to continuous Israeli bombardments, which have killed over 20,000 martyrs and injured 54,036 Palestinians since October 7. 

The WHO had repeatedly called for the protection of hospitals, civilians, and medical personnel, and a ceasefire in Gaza to restrict the damage and limit casualties, but in vain.

Read more: WHO members urge "Israel" to protect humanitarian workers

Al Shifa ER: A bloodbath

Last week, the organization described the emergency department at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza as a "bloodbath" as "Israel's" war strategy hits hospitals and medical complexes.

Members from the WHO and UN agencies were able to deliver limited medical supplies to the hospital on Saturday, but highlighted the "severe shortage of food and water" on its grounds, as thousands of displaced Palestinians sought shelter in it. 

Related News

UK bars Israelis from prestigious defense academy over Gaza genocide

Israeli report shows 20,000 soldiers wounded, rising care crisis

"The team described the emergency department as a 'bloodbath', with hundreds of injured patients inside, and new patients arriving every minute," the WHO said, adding that "patients with trauma injuries were being sutured on the floor... (and) no pain management is available". 

It was also reported that out of the 36 hospitals in Gaza, only 9, all located in southern Gaza, are functioning at partial rates. On a mission to Al Shifa and Al Ahli hospitals, team members from the WHO described "unbearable" scenes of abandoned patients and children pleading for food and water. 

Al-Shifa hospital in northern #Gaza is trying to resume its operations to serve thousands of patients again, but the situation is still unbelievably challenging and chaotic, and the hospital is in need of resuscitation — high-risk @WHO mission finds.

A WHO-led team of @UN… pic.twitter.com/aNqrVlE62G

— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) December 16, 2023

On X, Ghebreyesus stated "A WHO-led team of UN experts reached al-Shifa today to deliver essential medical supplies and assess priority health needs," he posted, adding that al-Shifa is trying to operate again but the situation remains "unbelievably challenging and chaotic."

Previously, 'Israel' warned the WHO to withdraw medical supplies from two warehouses in southern Gaza, claiming that it was necessary since its ground operations in southern Gaza would render the supplies useless.

ISRAELI SOLDIERS BURN HUMANITARIAN AID

Immoral and disgusting pic.twitter.com/YNM6Fml2Ol

— Sulaiman Ahmed (@ShaykhSulaiman) December 11, 2023

Gaza's healthcare system: Catastrophe, Disaster, Apocalypse

Dr. Marwan al-Hamase, who serves as the director of Rafah's Abu Yousef al-Najjar Hospital, reported that his modest facility was currently hosting hundreds of displaced individuals who had to sleep on floors where the injured were being treated. Dr. al-Hamase highlighted that these floors had not been cleaned for weeks due to the unavailability of cleaning products.

The situation has escalated to a point where malnutrition is spiraling out of control, according to Dr. al-Hamase. He noted a significant rise in cases of anemia and dehydration among children, with the number nearly tripling.

The Israeli occupation is using starvation as a tool against #Gazans.

The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor revealed alarming figures regarding the starvation in the #Gaza Strip last week.

The study revealed that 71% of the Gaza population is grappling with acute hunger, while 98%… pic.twitter.com/gmMXRGulYp

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) December 23, 2023

Displaced Palestinians seeking shelter in UN-managed facilities are having to use communal bathrooms lacking running water. The accumulation of fecal matter on the streets poses a risk of disease spread and further contamination of water sources, warned Shannon Barkley, the health systems team lead at the World Health Organization’s offices in Gaza and the West Bank.

Read more: Infectious diseases sweeping Gaza; another blow to healthcare system

  • Israel
  • Palestine
  • Gaza
  • Al Shifa Hospital
  • Healthcare
War on Gaza

War on Gaza

Most Read

The damaged building in the Katara neighborhood, Doha, Qatar, September 9, 2025 (Social media)

Hamas delegation survives Israeli assassination attempt in Qatar

  • Politics
  • 9 Sep 2025
Israeli police and rescue teams respond at the scene of a shooting attack where several people killed and injured in Jerusalem, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025 (AP)

Al-Quds shooting: 7 settlers killed, several critically injured

  • Politics
  • 8 Sep 2025
Pro-"Israel" conservative Charlie Kirk shot during Utah speech

Pro-'Israel' far-right Charlie Kirk shot dead during Utah speech

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza.

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza

  • Politics
  • 12 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Elon Musk attends a news conference with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, May 30, 2025, in Washington (AP)
Politics

Elon Musk calls for dissolving UK parliament at London far-right rally

Israeli media: US betrayed Qatar, gave green light for attack on Hamas
Politics

Israeli media: US betrayed Qatar, gave green light for attack on Hamas

Leaked memo shows Trump eyeing Louisiana National Guard plan
Politics

Leaked memo shows Trump eyeing Louisiana National Guard plan

Mamdani vows to arrest Netanyahu if elected New York mayor
Politics

Mamdani vows to arrest Netanyahu if elected New York mayor

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS