CITIZENS NEWS

Israel’s siege shuts down all hospitals in northern Gaza as death toll surpasses 53,000

By isabelle // 2025-05-19

• Israel has rendered every hospital in northern Gaza nonfunctional, including the Indonesian Hospital, leaving thousands without medical care amid relentless airstrikes.
• The death toll in Gaza has reached 53,339, with over 121,000 wounded, as Israel continues its military campaign despite ceasefire negotiations.
• Gaza’s healthcare system has collapsed entirely, with hospitals bombed, besieged, and deprived of supplies, violating international law and worsening the humanitarian crisis.
• Netanyahu’s ceasefire offer hinges on Hamas’ expulsion, while Israeli strikes intensify, killing civilians, including children, in refugee camps and urban areas.
• Aid blockades have pushed Gaza toward famine, with hospitals unable to function, as the world’s inaction enables what many call a deliberate genocide.

In a devastating escalation of its 19-month assault on Gaza, Israel has now rendered every hospital in northern Gaza nonfunctional, cutting off critical medical care for thousands of wounded and sick Palestinians. The latest target, the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia, was forced to shut down after Israeli forces besieged the facility, blocking patients and staff from entering. This marks the final collapse of northern Gaza’s healthcare system, leaving no functioning public hospitals in the region. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes killed 125 Palestinians in a single day, pushing the total death toll since October 2023 to a staggering 53,339, with over 121,000 wounded. As the humanitarian catastrophe deepens, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signaled openness to "ending the fighting", but only if Hamas is expelled from Gaza. Negotiations in Doha continue, although previous ceasefires have collapsed under the weight of Israel’s relentless military campaign.

Hospitals under siege in systematic destruction

Gaza’s Health Ministry confirmed that the Indonesian Hospital, the last major medical facility in the north, was effectively forced out of service after Israeli forces cut off access, leaving patients and staff trapped inside. Dr. Marwan al-Sultan, the hospital’s director, reported direct drone attacks on the intensive care unit, with only 30 patients and 15 medical personnel remaining amid the chaos. This is not an isolated incident. Israel has systematically dismantled Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure, bombing and besieging hospitals since the war began. Kamal Adwan Hospital, Beit Hanoun Hospital, and al-Shifa Hospital, once lifelines for civilians, have all been destroyed or rendered inoperable. Dr. Muhammad Abu Salmiya, director of al-Shifa, warned that thousands could die without urgent medical care, as supplies of blood, medicine, and fuel run critically low. The targeting of hospitals is a blatant violation of international law, yet Israel continues its assaults with impunity. Human rights organizations and UN experts have repeatedly condemned these actions as war crimes, but the bombings persist.

A hollow "ceasefire" offer

While Netanyahu’s office claims it is "working to realize every chance for a deal," including the release of hostages and Hamas’ expulsion from Gaza, the reality on the ground tells a different story. Israeli airstrikes have intensified, killing 103 people overnight, including 18 children and 13 women in Khan Younis alone. In Jabaliya refugee camp, nine members of a single family were obliterated in one strike; another attack claimed 10 lives, including seven children. The numbers are staggering: 53,339 dead since October 2023, 121,034 wounded, 10,000+ missing and presumed dead under rubble, and 3,000 massacres documented. These figures paint a devastating picture of the ongoing humanitarian crisis, representing an unprecedented scale of suffering and destruction Despite U.S. and Qatari mediation efforts, Hamas insists any ceasefire must include a full Israeli withdrawal and an end to the war—conditions Netanyahu has rejected. Meanwhile, Gaza’s civilians pay the price. The blockade on aid has pushed Gaza to the brink of famine, with hospitals now joining the list of collapsed institutions. The European Hospital, Gaza’s sole cancer treatment center, is no longer operational. Doctors report treating severe injuries with no anesthesia, performing surgeries without electricity, and watching patients die from preventable causes. As negotiations drag on, Israel’s war machine shows no regard for civilian life, and the world’s silence is complicity. The last hospital in northern Gaza is gone. The complete destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system is not collateral damage; it is a deliberate strategy. While Netanyahu dangles the possibility of peace, his military ensures there is no safe haven left for Palestinians. If this is not a genocide, what is? Sources for this article include: MiddleEastEye.net CBSNews.com AlJazeera.com

Israel violence famine evil genocide twisted War crimes panic chaos humanitarian WWIII Gaza