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Israel Shuts Down al-Awda Hospital, Pivotal Health Facility in Northern Gaza

Hospital in Northern Palestinian Territory Continues to Harbor Patients Despite Functioning Status

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Remain numerous individuals at the medical center, now the only operational hospital in northern...
Remain numerous individuals at the medical center, now the only operational hospital in northern Palestinian territory.

Israel Shuts Down al-Awda Hospital, Pivotal Health Facility in Northern Gaza

Amidst ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis, Gaza's healthcare system is gravely compromised. As of May 2025, only 19 hospitals remain operational in the region, with one providing basic care to the dwindling patient population.

Recent military operations and evacuation orders have placed a significant number of healthcare facilities at risk, including several hospitals, primary care centers, and medical points. Twelve hospitals offer a variety of services, while the rest can only provide basic emergency care. Approximately 94% of all hospitals in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed [1].

On Thursday, Israeli forces ordered the closure of al-Awda Hospital, the last operational facility in northern Gaza. With dozens of people still present at the closed facility, health officials are scrambling to arrange urgent relocation [2]. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 97 individuals, including 13 patients, remain at the hospital, with a planned transfer mission set for Friday [2]. Shutting down the hospital comes amidst continued Israeli displacement of Palestinians in Gaza, impacting large numbers of people in the north and east of Gaza City [2].

The Gaza Health Ministry denounced the closure as a continuation of Israel’s violations and crimes against the medical sector in the territory [2]. The WHO expressed concern for the hospital's protection and the safety of its staff and patients, as the closure means no remaining functional hospital remains in North Gaza, severing a critical lifeline for the region's population [2].

The crisis in Gaza has become increasingly dire by the day, with nearly 100% of housing destroyed, resulting in mass displacement and encampment of civilians. Since the beginning of the conflict, Israeli attacks have resulted in the deaths of over 1,400 medical workers, along with patients and the displaced seeking shelter [3].

UNRWA called for a political will to allow the agency and partners to provide assistance at scale without hindrance or interruption. Recent efforts to distribute limited food supplies have been marred by chaos and insecurity. Palestinians who braved long distances to obtain food supplies have reported going without nourishment for up to five days [3].

Military operations and insecurity have persisted, with at least 70 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza since Thursday morning [4]. The Palestinian Civil Defense reported that an Israeli strike on a residential building in Tuffah neighborhood, Gaza City, left approximately 30 people missing under the rubble [4]. Due to the lack of heavy equipment, there have been challenges in recovering the missing individuals.

Amid the ceaseless violence and humanitarian crisis, international bodies and organizations continue to call for unimpeded humanitarian access, a permanent ceasefire, and accountability for violations of international law [4][5]. Diplomatic negotiations for a ceasefire remain fragile as efforts to secure a sustainable resolution to the conflict continue. The dire state of healthcare, coupled with critical aid shortages, leaves millions of civilians in Gaza vulnerable to the direst consequences of ongoing conflict.

  1. The closure of al-Awda Hospital, a grave violation against Gaza's medical sector, has left North Gaza without any functional hospitals, posing severe challenges to its health and wellness.
  2. Ongoing war and conflicts in Gaza have resulted in the damage or destruction of nearly all hospitals, leaving only 19 operational facilities in May 2025, with one providing basic care to a dwindling population.
  3. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has been intensifying, with nearly 100% of housing destroyed, causing mass displacement and encampment of civilians, and resulting in the deaths of over 1,400 medical workers.
  4. In the midst of this crisis, recent military operations and evacuation orders have put several healthcare facilities at risk, including primary care centers, medical points, and hospitals.
  5. The World Health Organization (WHO) is concerned for the protection of al-Awda Hospital's staff and patients and the impact on general news and human rights, as the closure means no remaining functional hospital remains in North Gaza.
  6. As the health system in Gaza is gravely compromised, the closure of al-Awda Hospital is part of a broader issue of war and conflicts, politics, and policy and legislation that have resulted in the displacement of Palestinians and critical aid shortages.
  7. The ceaseless violence and insecurity in Gaza have led to at least 70 deaths since Thursday morning, and in addition to the severe health crisis, there have been incidents of crime and justice, such as the Israeli strike on a residential building that left approximately 30 people missing under the rubble.

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