The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a severe warning: Khan Younis' remaining two major public hospitals, Nasser Medical Complex and Al-Amal Hospital, are under serious threat of closure. If the closure occurs, Gaza's already deteriorating health system may collapse completely, leaving millions without access to life-saving care. 

According to the most recent WHO field report, northern Gaza no longer has any functional hospitals. In the south, Nasser and Al-Amal are two large public hospitals that continue to provide services, greatly exceeding their authorised capacity. The Nasser Medical Complex is now operating at 180% capacity, while Al-Amal is at 100%. 

"These hospitals form the foundation of treatment for more than two million people." Their loss would be catastrophic," said Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, WHO's representative in the occupied Palestinian territories. 

The situation deteriorated after the Israeli military issued evacuation orders for Khan Younis on June 2. The hospitals, both located inside or near the specified evacuation zone, have not received orders to leave. Reports indicate that Israeli authorities informed Gaza's Health Ministry about the impending ban on access to these hospitals. The restriction may hinder patients, workers, and crucial supplies from accessing the facilities. 

These hospitals are more than simply structures; they are vital lifelines. Together, they offer surgical care, intensive care units (ICUs), dialysis, blood transfusions, and cancer treatment. Gaza's total hospital capacity will drop to less than 1,400 if either facility ceases to function. That's a 40% decrease from pre-conflict levels for a population of more than two million. 

A serious scarcity of medications and supplies exacerbates the problem. More than 50 trucks delivering WHO medical aid are stalled at the Rafah and Al-Arish gates. WHO verifies that delivery delays are seriously limiting the ability to treat patients, particularly those with critical injuries or chronic conditions. 

Currently, only 17 out of 36 Gaza hospitals are partially operational. Of those, only five are significant referral hospitals, with Nasser and Al-Amal accounting for 75% of total hospital beds. 

Health personnel on the ground are working in deplorable conditions. Foreign and local emergency medical teams staff both hospitals, but their workload is overwhelming, according to WHO. Meanwhile, individuals continue to present with life-threatening injuries as a result of recent escalations. 

"Patients should not have to risk their lives just to get to a hospital," the WHO statement said. "Hospitals must be protected — they must never be militarised or attacked." 

Over the last 20 months, Gaza's health infrastructure has been subjected to continuous airstrikes, sieges, and blockade-related supply shortages. The WHO and other international organisations have frequently advocated for safe humanitarian access and medical facility security. Despite this, the destruction of health facilities has persisted, with the WHO describing it as "a systematic dismantling of Gaza's health system." 

The World Health Organisation has issued an urgent appeal to the international community to take three key actions to prevent Gaza's healthcare system from collapsing completely. First, it emphasises the importance of protecting vital medical institutions, particularly Nasser's and Al-Amal's hospitals, which must remain operating, accessible, and safe from future attacks. Second, the WHO is urging the quick entry of life-saving medical supplies via all available routes to alleviate the critical lack of equipment, drugs, and manpower. Finally, the organisation has asked all parties to agree to an immediate and permanent ceasefire, warning that any attempt to restore health services would be fruitless. These three demands are inextricably linked: without protected hospitals, aid cannot be distributed properly, and without a ceasefire, neither hospitals nor humanitarian convoys can operate safely. 

Without immediate international involvement, Gaza may soon be without any operational referral hospitals, potentially leading to thousands of unnecessary deaths.