Al Jazeera Special Coverage | Gaza: Promises and Reality – Health system collapse

Published 29 June 2026 · health

Al Jazeera’s special coverage, “Gaza: Promises and Reality,” examines the gap between commitments made under the US-brokered ceasefire and the reality Palestinians face on the

Al Jazeera’s special coverage, “Gaza: Promises and Reality,” examines the gap between commitments made under the US-brokered ceasefire and the reality Palestinians face on the ground in Gaza. Over five days, the series explores how Israel’s war on Gaza – which has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians, including at least 20,000 children – continues to reshape every aspect of life in the territory and its people. Day two focuses on the systematic destruction and collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system. Not a single hospital in the Strip is fully functional, with more than 90% of health facilities either damaged or completely destroyed.

Medical services are now operating far below capacity, while critical shortages of medicines and equipment have pushed the system to breaking point. Across Gaza, patients are struggling to access even the most basic treatment. Diabetic children are forced to rely on expired test strips and outdated insulin, while families search desperately for medicines that are increasingly unavailable or unaffordable. Cancer patients are undergoing chemotherapy amid displacement, hunger and lack of proper care, with one mother describing receiving treatment “while there was no bread to eat.” Gaza now has only one functioning cardiac catheterisation machine, with around 500 patients on waiting lists for life-saving procedures.

Doctors say essential services are collapsing, with surgeries delayed or cancelled due to shortages of supplies. Dr Ahmed El-Farra, head of the paediatric department at Nasser Hospital, described the situation as “health genocide,” adding that conditions have worsened even after the ceasefire, which he said has failed to bring meaningful relief after more than 1,000 days of war. The coverage also highlights broader impacts on the medical sector, including repeated strikes on hospitals, the killing of an estimated 1,700 health workers, and the detention of medical staff, including Dr Hussam Abu Safia, who has been held for more than 500 days without charge.

Despite international provisions under the US-led ceasefire agreement to allow 21,000 patients to leave Gaza for treatment, fewer than 7,500 have been evacuated, a compliance rate of just 36%. With Gaza’s healthcare system systematically dismantled, Palestinians continue to face a reality where even the most basic right to medical care has been severely compromised. Find us on Check our website Check out our Instagram page Download AJE Mobile App