Israel's genocidal attacks on Palestinians in Gaza has left more than 1,400 medical personnel dead, Gaza’s Ministry of Health announced.
In a statement published on Telegram, the ministry said on Tuesday: "More than 1,400 health workers have been martyred, while around 360 others from the health sector remain in Israeli detention."
Israel's war on Gaza since October 2023 has killed more than 62,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, left over 115,000 wounded and uprooted almost entire 2.3 million people.
Medics and emergency workers have faced huge impact of the Israeli invasion. Hospitals have special protection under international law. Yet, Israel has been besieging them and bombing them, some several times.
Doctors in Gaza have endured severe hardships amid Israeli strikes, with hundreds killed and many others wounded, detained, or missing.
Israel has targeted hospitals, ambulances, and medical personnel, with hundreds of attacks on healthcare facilities reported, severely disrupting services.
Gaza's health system is on the brink of collapse. In January, WHO reported only 16 of 36 hospitals were partially operational, overwhelmed by casualties and lacking beds, supplies, and fuel.
Footage shows vehicles involved in attack were clearly marked, had their emergency lights on.
Using phone lights for surgery
Medics face constant threats from Israeli military and snipers, with some likening their uniforms to "targets."
For example, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, a hospital director, was detained and tortured by Israeli troops. Others, like Izedine Lulu, lost family members but continued treating patients amidst Israeli sieges.
Israeli forces recently killed 15 emergency workers, including eight medics, in southern Gaza, burying them in a mass grave. Troops fired over 100 times, with some shots from just 39 feet away. Israeli troops also abducted a Palestinian paramedic, Assad al-Nassasra, after the massacre.
Essential shortages, including anesthesia, antibiotics, and clean water, have led to dire choices: rationing painkillers, operating without electricity, and amputating limbs without anesthesia.
Forced displacement in Gaza affects most residents, including medics. They often live in tents and face difficulties accessing hospitals due to checkpoints and Israeli violence.
Mental health is strained, with many experiencing anxiety and moral distress from witnessing mass casualties and losing colleagues.
Breaching January 2025 ceasefire, Israel's recent strikes, like those on Al-Ahli Hospital, show ongoing risks.
Throughout the genocide, Palestinian medics have displayed resilience, improvising solutions like using phone lights for surgery, but the scale of destruction have compounds their challenges.
Foreign volunteers, including US doctors, have reported malnutrition and infections rampant among patients, with hospitals barely functioning.
American doctors who operate in Gaza have been calling for US arms embargo on Israel.
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
The Israeli military renewed a deadly assault on Gaza on March 18, shattering a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold in January.
