Gaza’s humanitarian crisis deepens as medical supplies run out
A young Palestinian girl walks along a street on a misty morning in Khan Yunis in the northern Gaza Strip on January 17, 2025. (AFP Photo)
Despite a cease-fire, Gaza’s healthcare system remains crippled because of the widespread destruction of medical infrastructure. Hospitals are unable to function, and thousands of injured civilians remain untreated as medical supplies dwindle.
Ezzeddin Lulu, a final-year medical student who has been volunteering throughout the 15-month-long Israeli attacks, spoke to Anadolu Agency about the worsening crisis.
“The most urgently needed supplies in Gaza include essential medicines, surgical equipment, and trauma care materials. But we have no access to these, leaving thousands of patients waiting for treatment,” Lulu said.
Insufficient aid fails to meet urgent needs
According to Lulu, the aid permitted by Israel is nowhere near enough to support Gaza’s 2 million residents.
“The aid that is allowed in does not meet even a fraction of the needs. Medicines for children, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses have already run out,” he explained.
With hospitals devastated and medical professionals lacking the necessary equipment, healthcare services are virtually nonexistent. Doctors and nurses, struggling to operate under extreme conditions, are often forced to watch helplessly as patients succumb to preventable conditions.
Family trapped under the rubble
Lulu founded the Samir Foundation, a medical aid organization, in memory of his martyred father. His mission is to restore sustainable healthcare services in Gaza.
However, his tragedy mirrors the broader devastation across the enclave.
“The ceasefire brought a temporary pause, but the healthcare system has collapsed. People are trying to return to their homes, but most of them have been reduced to rubble. Hospitals have been destroyed, medicine is depleted, and the wounded remain untreated,” Lulu said.
His voice broke as he shared his most painful reality: “My family is still trapped under the rubble. We do not even have the necessary equipment to rescue them. We are waiting for life-saving tools to enter Gaza. The helplessness is indescribable.”
International plea: ‘Gaza is not just a battlefield’
Lulu called on the international community to take urgent action.
“Gaza is not just a battlefield—it is home to people with dreams and hopes. Now, more than ever, we need the world’s support,” he urged.
Youth-led solidarity keeps hope alive
Amid the destruction, young people in Gaza are refusing to give up. The Samir Foundation has created a model of solidarity, enabling medical students to volunteer in hospitals and contribute to the overwhelmed healthcare system.
“This foundation was established to ensure that young people can continue their medical education and that Gaza’s healthcare services remain sustainable,” Lulu explained.
Calling for immediate action, he added, “Urgent medical aid must reach Gaza now. If not, more lives will be lost.”
2,500 children in dire need of medical evacuation
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that 2,500 children in Gaza require immediate evacuation for medical treatment.
A report by CNN highlighted that some of these children have only days to live. Among them is two-year-old Habiba el-Askari, who suffers from a rare disease that is treatable under normal circumstances. However, due to the lack of medical resources, she is on the brink of death.
Israel has refused to allow most wounded civilians to leave for treatment. Even as the Rafah Border Crossing reopens today, only 50 patients will be permitted to evacuate.
American doctors bear witness to unimaginable horror
Doctors who have worked in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, have described the horrific conditions.
Dr. Ayesha Khan, an emergency physician at Stanford University Hospital, said: “I have worked in more than 30 conflict zones. Nothing compares to what I have seen in Gaza.”
Dr. Mahmooda “Mimi” Syed, another emergency physician, shared her harrowing experience of treating children shot in the head—without even the most basic medical supplies.
“No child should ever have a bullet in their head,” she stated.
With medical supplies running out and the healthcare system in ruins, the people of Gaza are facing an unprecedented crisis. The international community is being urged to act swiftly to prevent further loss of life.
