Palestinian Embassy Urges India To Send Medical Aid As Gaza Health System Nears Collapse

The Palestinian Embassy in India has made an urgent appeal to the Government of India and the international community for immediate medical assistance, warning that the healthcare system in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is on the verge of total collapse amid the ongoing conflict.

In a statement issued on Friday, the embassy said the healthcare crisis has been caused by continued military attacks, widespread destruction of medical infrastructure, restrictions on humanitarian access and severe financial pressures. Describing the situation as catastrophic, the embassy called for urgent action to save lives.

“The Embassy of the State of Palestine to the Republic of India expresses its profound concern over the catastrophic collapse of the healthcare sector in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” the statement said. It added, “It is the exact moment to save thousands of innocent lives. If not India and the Indian people, then who? If not now, then when? Every life matters.”

Appeal to India's humanitarian role

The embassy specifically urged India to extend support under its “Aarogya Maitri” humanitarian initiative. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of the programme, the embassy noted that India had committed to providing essential medical supplies to developing countries affected by natural disasters and humanitarian crises.

The statement said Palestinians continue to look towards India's historic commitment to justice, humanitarian values and support for oppressed communities. It urged Indian authorities, humanitarian organisations, medical institutions and civil society groups to help address the worsening crisis.

According to the embassy, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that Gaza’s healthcare system has reached a breaking point. It said only 19 of the territory's 36 hospitals remain partially operational and are functioning under extremely limited emergency conditions.

The embassy also reported severe shortages of medicines, anaesthesia, antibiotics, dialysis supplies, insulin, blood units, surgical equipment and fuel needed to operate hospital generators. It said thousands of patients require urgent medical evacuation outside Gaza as hospitals struggle to cope with large numbers of casualties and injuries.

Growing public health emergency

Beyond the hospital crisis, the embassy warned of rapidly deteriorating living conditions across Gaza. Citing data from the WHO, the United Nations, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and other humanitarian organisations, it said around 12,000 bodies are believed to remain trapped under rubble.

The statement said the collapse of sanitation systems, shortages of clean water and mounting waste have contributed to the spread of diseases. It also highlighted increasing infestations of rats, snakes, mosquitoes, lice, fleas and bedbugs, creating conditions that could trigger epidemics.

Children and vulnerable groups are among the hardest hit, according to the embassy. It said thousands of children are suffering from acute malnutrition and nearly all children in Gaza now require mental health and psychosocial support. The embassy also warned that the elderly and people with weakened immune systems face heightened risks from disease outbreaks and worsening living conditions.

West Bank healthcare under strain

The embassy stressed that the healthcare crisis is not limited to Gaza. It said the Occupied West Bank is facing growing challenges due to what it described as Israeli financial measures, including the withholding of Palestinian tax revenues. According to the statement, these actions have significantly reduced public funding available for healthcare services.

The Palestinian Government has responded by issuing tens of thousands of free health insurance policies to families that lost their income during the conflict. However, the embassy said this has added further pressure on already strained public hospitals and healthcare institutions.

The impact is reflected in declining medical services. The embassy said Palestinian government hospitals in the West Bank carried out about 65,000 surgeries last year. This year, only around 19,500 surgeries have been performed so far, while more than 11,000 scheduled procedures have been postponed because of shortages of medicines, supplies and operational capacity.

The statement also highlighted severe shortages of essential medicines. Of the approximately 520 medicines that the Palestinian Ministry of Health seeks to provide, nearly 180 are currently unavailable. The embassy said 50 of the 97 medicines used for cancer treatment have completely run out, placing nearly 4,000 cancer patients at immediate risk.

It further reported shortages of critical medical consumables, including dialysis filters and surgical sutures used in complex procedures such as cardiac surgeries.

Call for international assistance

Calling the situation a humanitarian emergency, the embassy appealed for life-saving medicines and medical supplies worth $100 million. It urged India and the wider international community to ensure sustained delivery of humanitarian and medical assistance to help protect the lives and dignity of Palestinian civilians.

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The appeal highlights the growing pressure on healthcare systems across Palestinian territories and places renewed focus on the role of international humanitarian support as medical resources continue to shrink while needs increase.

(With inputs from agencies)