Gaza doctor describes horrific collapse of pediatric care amid genocide

In an interview with Al Mayadeen, Dr. Sharif Matar, Head of the Pediatrics Department at Al-Rantisi Hospital in Gaza, described a catastrophic collapse of pediatric care as war, displacement, and blockade push Gaza’s health system beyond breaking point. Over 300 children are currently being treated for meningitis, with many suffering severe complications like hydrocephalus. With over 1.5 million people crammed into overcrowded, unsanitary tent camps and no access to clean water, diseases are spreading at an alarming rate. Dr. Matar warns that humanitarian aid rarely reaches the people, with essentials like flour being resold at unaffordable prices in local markets. “Whether it’s children, adults, or the elderly... life and death no longer seem to matter. There’s no solution other than ending this war.”