As the war in Gaza rages on, residents face an unspoken horror: an acute shortage of critical medications, with elderly patients like Um Jamal Nassar bearing the brunt. A diabetic woman, Um Jamal has been without insulin for over a month. Despite her daily search for supplies, the pharmacies and clinics are empty. Even when she found an alternative, its cost was prohibitive. "I live in fear every day. My blood sugar is unstable, and with the constant bombings, reaching a hospital is nearly impossible," she said. "I go to sleep terrified I won’t wake up."

Her suffering is not isolated. Thousands of Gazans, particularly those with chronic conditions, face a grim reality as their access to life-saving medicine is cut off. The health sector has all but collapsed, with more than a third of essential medicines and over half of medical supplies now unavailable. The situation is exacerbated by Israel’s blockade of Gaza's borders, which has been in place since March, preventing critical aid from reaching those in need.

Pharmacists and health professionals in Gaza are raising the alarm, but the situation grows dire. Dhulfiqar Suwirjo, a veteran pharmacist, warned that many medications now available are expired or near expiry. While some drugs may still be safe to use if their appearance remains unchanged, antibiotics are particularly dangerous past their expiration date, with potential fatal consequences.

The health system is on the brink of collapse, according to Munir al-Barsh, Director General of Pharmacy at Gaza’s Ministry of Health. The shortage is already claiming lives, with kidney dialysis patients suffering the most. The World Health Organization has expressed concern over the lack of dialysis equipment, and officials report that over 400 dialysis patients have died due to the shortage.

The international community is urged to intervene before the humanitarian crisis in Gaza spirals further. With each passing day, more lives are lost—not just from the bombings but from the complete collapse of medical infrastructure.