Dr. Wissam Sukkar describes the overwhelming difficulties facing her and her colleagues at a Médecins Sans Frontières clinic in Gaza, where limited supplies and a collapsing health system strain their ability to provide care amid ongoing conflict.
"Gaza Doctor Faces Dire Challenges Amidst Healthcare Collapse"

"Gaza Doctor Faces Dire Challenges Amidst Healthcare Collapse"
A frontline account reveals the harrowing struggles of healthcare in Gaza as war intensifies, showcasing the plight of medical professionals and their patients.
Dr. Sukkar, a dedicated physician in Gaza, embodies the resilience of healthcare workers amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis exacerbated by intense conflict between Israel and Hamas. As she navigates the wreckage of Gaza City to reach her clinic, it becomes evident that the situation is dire. After an arduous 50-minute walk—due to the scarcity of fuel and operational taxis—Dr. Sukkar enters her clinic at Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) to find a crowd of nearly 150 patients already lined up, seeking aid.
The UN World Health Organization reports that only 21 out of Gaza's 36 hospitals are somewhat operational, severely limiting access to necessary medical care. As Dr. Sukkar points out, her former workplace—a burns clinic—lay in ruins after being caught in crossfire, leaving her team scrambling to repurpose facilities to continue their work. The patient demographic is alarming; many are displaced individuals living in shelters or on the streets due to escalating violence.
Conditions have deteriorated rapidly since a ceasefire fell apart a month ago, leading to an uptick in malnutrition and diseases among children. Lacking basic resources, families are resorting to open flames for cooking, resulting in burn injuries among the young population. Among the numerous patients treated daily, Dr. Sukkar notes the alarming rise in respiratory infections and gastrointestinal issues, commonplace in crowded shelter settings.
Unfortunately, the influx of complex medical cases adds to the strain facing her clinic. In the aftermath of Israeli airstrikes on the al-Ahli Arab hospital, once a cornerstone of trauma care in northern Gaza, her team is now managing a growing number of severely injured patients. The medical supplies shortage is increasingly urgent, with life-saving medications like insulin and epilepsy treatments nearly impossible to procure due to Israeli blockades.
As Dr. Sukkar and her colleagues strive to care for nearly 390 patients a day, they must meticulously ration dwindling resources. The emotional toll weighs heavily on her; like many Gazans, she bears the burden of ensuring her own family's survival amidst the chaos, often lacking electricity and clean water.
At the end of a long day, as Dr. Sukkar heads home after yet another exhausting shift, her thoughts linger on the countless challenges ahead. "It's really hard to have any hope," she confesses, encapsulating the despair that permeates this beleaguered region. As the specter of war continues to loom, the question remains: When will this nightmare come to an end?