The prolonged closure of Gaza’s crossings by Israeli forces has plunged the Strip’s healthcare system into crisis, leaving patients like 13-year-old Muhammad Mukhaimer fighting for survival. Suffering from asthma, Muhammad relies on medication to breathe, but the Israeli blockade has cut off access to essential medicines, leaving his family desperate and helpless.  

Every morning, Muhammad’s mother, Umm Muhammad, visits the nearest UNRWA clinic in Khan Yunis, hoping to find her son’s life-saving medication. Each time, she is met with the same heartbreaking response: “The crossing is closed, and the medicine has not entered yet.” Since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the closure of Gaza’s crossings, the flow of critical medical supplies has stopped, pushing the healthcare system to the brink of collapse.  

Muhammad’s condition worsens daily, exacerbated by the dusty, smoky air from waste burning near their home. Without Salbutamol, a medication that opens his airways, he struggles to walk even 50 meters without oxygen. Umm Muhammad takes him to Nasser Medical Complex for vaporizer sessions, but overcrowded halls and frequent power outages make treatment nearly impossible. “My son needs daily care, but there’s no electricity or medicine,” she said, pleading for international intervention to save lives.  

The crisis extends beyond children. Mahmoud Qannan, a 60-year-old man with high blood pressure and diabetes, can no longer access his monthly medication from the UNRWA clinic, which has been repurposed to house displaced people. Forced to buy expensive, less effective alternatives from pharmacies, Qannan fears a sudden health emergency. “I’m constantly worried about my health deteriorating,” he said, highlighting the financial and emotional toll of the blockade.  

For eight consecutive days, Israel has kept Gaza’s crossings closed, blocking the entry of food and medicine despite the ceasefire. International relief agencies warn of dwindling supplies, with aid at risk of spoiling at the border. As the humanitarian crisis deepens, Gaza’s 2.4 million residents face mounting despair and uncertainty.  

The blockade is not just a shortage—it is a policy of death. The global community’s silence enables this suffering, leaving Gazans to confront a grim reality. Without immediate action to lift the siege and ensure the safe passage of aid, countless lives hang in the balance. The world must act decisively to end this preventable tragedy before it becomes an irreversible catastrophe.