Gaza City, Gaza Strip — An Israeli airstrike has claimed the life of Dr. Marwan al-Sultan, a prominent cardiologist and director of the Indonesian Hospital, marking a significant blow to Gaza’s already strained healthcare system. Al-Sultan’s death adds to the escalating toll of healthcare workers being targeted amid ongoing military actions, with reports indicating he is the 70th medical professional killed in just 50 days.
The loss has been described as “catastrophic” by critics, who emphasize its severe implications for medical care in the region. Dr. Muath Alser, director of Healthcare Workers Watch, underscored the tragedy of this incident, saying, “This is a systemic and horrifying pattern of targeting healthcare workers, sanctioned without accountability.” He pointed out that such actions not only take lives but also erase decades of medical expertise essential for saving lives in an already dire humanitarian crisis.
Dr. Mohammed Abu Selmia, director of al-Shifa Hospital, expressed profound grief, reflecting on al-Sultan’s unreplaceable expertise. “His death will inflict suffering on thousands of heart patients. His only fault was being a doctor committed to helping others,” Selmia noted, highlighting the struggles facing healthcare practitioners in Gaza amidst rising violence.
In recent weeks, al-Sultan had openly discussed the overwhelming number of civilian casualties at the Indonesian Hospital and the immense pressure staff were under as military actions intensified. The healthcare landscape has further deteriorated, with reports detailing the deaths of numerous other vital healthcare professionals, including three doctors, chief nurses, and midwives. In a single day during Eid earlier this month, nine healthcare workers lost their lives in airstrikes while seeking shelter.
The tragic story of Fares Afana, who leads ambulance services in northern Gaza, exemplifies the dangers faced by medical responders. Afana lost his son, Bara’a, a paramedic, during an airstrike that struck their location twice. “They were deliberately targeted,” Afana recounted. “What I saw was horrific. If the international community had reacted when the first attacks on healthcare workers occurred, perhaps these tragedies could have been prevented.”
Statistics show that since the outbreak of conflict in October 2023, the number of healthcare workers killed has surpassed 1,400, according to United Nations figures. Insecurity Insight, a conflict data organization, has validated numerous instances of violence against healthcare professionals. These attacks have occurred in a variety of circumstances, from within health facilities to during emergency ambulance responses, highlighting the pervasive threat to medical personnel.
Further complicating the humanitarian crisis, there are reports of hundreds of healthcare workers being detained by Israeli authorities, facing allegations of mistreatment and torture. Medglobal, a U.S.-based medical organization, estimates that over 300 medical professionals, including notable figures like Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya of Kamal Adwan Hospital, are currently in detention, raising concerns about their safety and well-being.
As Gaza’s healthcare system grapples with these losses and ongoing threats, the increasing vulnerability of its medical workforce has become a focal point in conversations regarding the humanitarian impact of the ongoing conflict. The stories of these professionals serve as a sobering reminder of the human cost of war, underscoring the urgent need for accountability and support for those striving to provide care in desperate times.