Health and mental health services in Gaza: A system under siege

Gaza’s health care and mental health systems have faced long-standing challenges due to years of political instability, continuous Israeli military wars, and a crippling blockade that has been in place since 2007. These factors have severely hindered Gaza’s ability to provide primary health care, resulting in a system that struggles to meet the needs of its population. Even before October 7th, 2023, Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure was on the brink of collapse, and mental health services were unable to meet the growing needs of the population. The October 3rd, 2023, Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip with its ‘systematic violations of human rights’ has led to the catastrophic deterioration of Gaza’s health infrastructure to date. This Israeli war with its ‘systematic violations of human rights’, marked by intense Israeli military operations and massive destruction, pushed an already fragile healthcare system into a severe crisis. This paper examines the state of healthcare and mental health services in Gaza. It evaluates the impact of the continued Israeli offensives in the Gaza Strip, particularly during the 2023-2024 Israeli war with ‘systematic violations of human rights’.