In a distressing revelation, a World Health Organisation (WHO)-led multi-agency mission unveiled the catastrophic aftermath of the conflict at Al-Shifa Hospital in north Gaza. Conducted on April 5, 2024 in collaboration with several United Nations entities and the acting hospital director, the mission aimed to assess the extent of destruction and identify urgent needs for restoring the facility.

Despite repeated attempts to access the hospital for medical evacuations and assessments, the WHO's efforts were thwarted six times between March 25 and April 1. Upon finally reaching the site, the mission found Al-Shifa Hospital, once a vital referral center, reduced to rubble. Most buildings were extensively damaged or destroyed, rendering the facility non-functional and exacerbating the already dire healthcare situation in Gaza.

The emergency department, surgical, and maternity wards suffered severe damage from explosives and fire, with numerous beds and vital equipment destroyed. The destruction of the hospital's oxygen plant further compounds the healthcare crisis, leaving Kamal Adwan Hospital as the sole source of medical oxygen in the region. The loss of critical medical infrastructure, including CT scanners and ventilators, severely hampers diagnostic and treatment capabilities, amplifying the risk of avoidable deaths.

In a grim scene, shallow graves and partially buried bodies surrounded the hospital compound, highlighting the harrowing toll of the conflict on civilians. Patients endured appalling conditions during the siege, with reports of deaths due to the lack of access to care and basic necessities.

Despite facing delays and impediments, WHO reiterated its calls for the protection of patients, healthcare workers, and infrastructure. Urgent action is needed to facilitate the safe delivery of humanitarian aid, including medical supplies and fuel, to mitigate the escalating health crisis in Gaza. As the conflict enters its sixth month, the systematic dismantling of healthcare infrastructure must cease, and efforts to establish a lasting ceasefire and ensure unimpeded access to aid must be prioritized to avert further catastrophe.