For three years, Wael Skeik has endured kidney failure, but the Israeli assault on Gaza has transformed his struggle into a nightmare. “I used to have dialysis three times a week for four hours per session,” Skeik explains. “Now, because of the war, I only get two sessions a week. The severe shortages of medicines, medical supplies, and even clean water essential for dialysis machines have doubled my suffering.”

Skeik’s ordeal is compounded by displacement. Forced from his home in southwestern Gaza to Tel Al-Hawa, he went 29 days without dialysis after Al-Shifa Medical Complex was occupied by Israeli forces. “Getting to the hospital is a torment,” he says, describing the lack of transportation and fuel. Often, he must walk long distances or rely on animal-drawn carts, worsening his fragile condition.

His story echoes that of Henady Abdel-Wahed, a young woman in her twenties battling kidney failure for eight years. “Without dialysis, I can’t breathe, eat, or function,” she shares, recalling a 21-day interruption during the hospital’s occupation. Like Skeik, her sessions have been reduced, further endangering her health.

Before the war, Gaza’s healthcare system supported over 1,100 kidney failure patients, with 600 concentrated in Gaza City and the northern regions. The situation became critical after Israeli forces destroyed Al-Shifa’s dialysis ward in March, reducing the number of functioning machines from 70 to just 27. The remaining equipment is insufficient to meet the growing needs of patients.

Dr. Ghazi Al-Yazji, head of the Nephrology Department at Al-Shifa, describes the situation as catastrophic. “We face severe shortages of machines, medicines, and medical supplies. There’s also a lack of staff and fuel to operate generators, and the breakdown of water desalination systems critical for the machines has made matters worse,” he explains.

The reduced frequency of dialysis has deadly consequences. “Toxins build up, salt levels rise, and excess fluid puts strain on the heart and lungs,” warns Dr. Al-Yazji, who notes that several patients have already died due to inadequate care during the ongoing conflict.

The war has also dashed hopes for kidney transplants, once seen as a lifeline for patients like Henady. Now, patients and doctors alike appeal for urgent international intervention. Kidney failure patients in Gaza are calling on the global community to facilitate their transfer abroad for treatment or expedite the reconstruction of Gaza’s healthcare system.

“Their lives depend on it,” Dr. Al-Yazji stresses, highlighting the dire need to restore Gaza’s shattered healthcare infrastructure.