The silent kill: “Medicide” as an instrument of human rights abuses in Gaza

The Israeli military attacks on Gaza since October 7, 2023, have severely impacted healthcare, including the destruction of medical infrastructure, targeted assaults on healthcare workers, and the obstruction of medical aid. These actions have resulted in a profound humanitarian crisis, exacerbating existing health challenges and creating new ones, while dismantling Gaza’s already fragile healthcare system. This study examines the multi-faceted destruction of the healthcare infrastructure, arguing that these actions constitute a deliberate strategy of warfare aimed at incapacitating the healthcare system. This phenomenon, termed medicide —a portmanteau of “medicine” and “human rights abuses,” refers to the systematic destruction of a healthcare system, wholly or partially, with the intent of impairing or eliminating the conditions necessary to save and sustain the lives of the sick and injured — is explored within the context of its long-term psychological and physical toll on the Gazan population.