Renewed Attacks in Gaza: Health Activities Temporarily Suspended

18 March 2025 — Following the attacks last night in the Gaza Strip, EMERGENCY has temporarily suspended the movement of its personnel pending a better understanding of how to guarantee the safety of its national and international colleagues. As a result, activities at the Primary Healthcare Clinic in al-Qarara (Khan Younis), first opened in January 2025, are currently suspended.

“We heard the sounds of explosions all night. Since the announcement of a ceasefire over these past few months, there is fear once again,” says Giorgio Monti, EMERGENCY’s Medical Coordinator in Gaza. “As we wait to understand how to guarantee the safety of our staff, we have suspended our movements across Gaza. Our Primary Healthcare Clinic is closed today due to the lack of security for our staff, both national and international, and for our patients. Before the ceasefire there was the ‘deconfliction’ process: by operating within the so-called ‘humanitarian zone’ and communicating your movements to the armed forces, safe movement was guaranteed. During the ceasefire, these measures have lapsed. It is not clear in this new context whether or how they will be re-established.”

Present in Gaza since August 2024, EMERGENCY currently works in its Primary Healthcare Clinic in al-Qarara (Khan Younis), providing first aid, basic medical and surgical care for both adults and children, outpatient reproductive health activities, post-operative nursing care, stabilisation of medical and surgical emergencies, and transfers to other hospital facilities. The NGO also continues to offer primary healthcare at an outpatient clinic set up by the local organisation Creative & Free Thought Association (CFTA) in al-Mawasi.

Only 60% of hospitals in the Gaza Strip remain partially functional, and just 48% of primary healthcare clinics. Since October 2023, more than 48,000 people have died and over 111,000 have been injured, while nearly two million people are displaced. Almost 70% of all the buildings in Gaza have been destroyed (OCHA).

“Since we arrived in Gaza in August 2024, we have cared for over 9,000 patients. We have witnessed the humanitarian situation worsen day after day, even after the ceasefire was announced. In recent weeks, we have also seen the news of the electricity supply being cut off, particularly impacting water desalination and making it difficult to supply even this essential good,” Monti concludes. “So many people have returned to their homes only to find them destroyed, and have come back here to the camps. We hope to be able to resume activities soon, to continue providing assistance to the population.”