International humanitarian organisations, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), have issued urgent calls for the protection of Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza. The pleas come as Israeli military operations intensify in the region, with new movement restrictions and evacuation orders threatening to render the critical medical facility non-functional.
According to statements from WHO and MSF, recent measures imposed by Israeli authorities are severely hampering access to Nasser Hospital for both patients and medical staff. On 3 June, MSF reported being informed that any movement to the hospital would require authorisation at least 24 hours in advance. This directive prevented their day-shift medical staff from reaching the facility, forcing the night staff to work for 48 consecutive hours. Ambulances attempting to transport patients have also faced significant risks.
The context for these calls is a healthcare system described by the WHO as “collapsing.” Nasser Hospital, located in Khan Younis, is one of the last major referral hospitals in southern Gaza, providing specialised services such as operating theatres, a blood bank, incubators, and an oxygen plant that are unavailable elsewhere in the area. The facility is reportedly operating at 180% of its bed capacity, overflowing with patients suffering from severe trauma and burns.
SMread: SAMNET Calls on Stores to Drop Zionist Products
A Lifeline on the Brink
The calls for protection are being made by global health and humanitarian bodies directly involved in providing care on the ground. Both the WHO and MSF (also known as Doctors Without Borders) have warned that the hospital’s potential closure would have dire consequences. Jose Mas, MSF’s head of emergency programmes, stated that putting the facility out of service “would equate to a death sentence for the most severe patients,” including critically ill adults, children, and women needing emergency obstetric care.
The organisations argue that the pressure on the hospital is part of a broader pattern seen throughout the 20-month conflict. This includes direct military action, limitations on medical supplies, and displacement orders that have led to the shutdown of other hospitals. The WHO noted that while Nasser Hospital has not received a direct evacuation order, it lies within or near an evacuation zone announced on 2 June, and Israeli authorities have indicated that access routes will be obstructed.
This situation unfolds as the Israeli military issued new evacuation warnings for parts of Gaza City on Friday, signalling an intensified campaign. Israeli aggression since October 2023 has resulted in a staggering death toll, with the Hamas-run health ministry reporting over 54,000 fatalities in Gaza.
The international community’s response includes not only calls for the hospital’s protection but also for an immediate and lasting ceasefire and the expedited delivery of essential medical supplies into Gaza. The WHO reports that only 17 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals remain partially functional, with facilities like Nasser Hospital representing a final, crucial lifeline for a population in desperate need.
Image credit: WHO / Christopher Black
