More than six months into the war in Gaza, the devastation extends far beyond those killed by Israeli bombardments and airstrikes. MSF describes the massive struggle faced by Palestinians in Gaza today to access medical care and warns of large numbers of preventable deaths caused by disruptions to critical healthcare.
“How many children have already died of pneumonia in overwhelmed hospitals?” asks Mari-Carmen Viñoles, head of MSF’s emergency programmes. “How many babies have died because of preventable diseases? How many patients suffering from diabetes are left untreated? What about the deadly consequences of the closure of kidney dialysis units in attacked hospitals? These are the silent killings of Gaza not reported in all this chaos, caused by the collapse of the healthcare system across Gaza.”
MSF teams working in Rafah report that the decimated healthcare system and inhumane living conditions also raise the risk of disease outbreaks, malnutrition and the long-term impact of psychological trauma. MSF warns that a military incursion in Rafah, on top of the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza, would be an unfathomable catastrophe and calls for an immediate and sustained ceasefire.