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The Embassy of the State of Palestine has urged India to provide urgent medical assistance to Gaza, warning that the territory’s healthcare system is nearing collapse amid severe shortages of medicines, medical supplies and funding.

In a statement issued on Friday, June 19, the embassy said hospitals across Gaza are struggling to operate as the humanitarian crisis deepens. It called on the Indian government, medical institutions and humanitarian organisations to support efforts aimed at sustaining healthcare services and saving civilian lives.

The appeal comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) warns that Gaza’s health system has reached a “breaking point”. According to the agency, only 19 of the enclave’s 36 hospitals remain partially operational, functioning under extremely limited emergency conditions.

The embassy said shortages of anaesthetics, antibiotics, dialysis supplies, blood units, insulin, surgical equipment and fuel are severely affecting medical services. Thousands of patients are also awaiting urgent medical evacuation for treatment unavailable within the territory.

It further highlighted deteriorating public health conditions caused by overcrowded displacement camps, damaged sanitation infrastructure, limited access to clean water and the accumulation of waste. These conditions have increased the risk of infectious diseases, particularly among children, older people and those with weakened immune systems.

The statement also pointed to growing levels of child malnutrition and rising demand for mental health support as the humanitarian situation worsens.

West Bank healthcare under pressure

The embassy said the healthcare sector in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is facing mounting challenges due to financial constraints and the continued withholding of Palestinian tax revenues.

According to the statement, Palestinian governmental hospitals carried out approximately 65,000 surgeries last year. However, only around 19,500 procedures have been performed so far in 2026, while more than 11,000 scheduled surgeries have been postponed because of shortages in medicines, supplies and operational resources.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health is also facing critical medicine shortages. Of the 520 essential medicines it seeks to provide, nearly 180 are currently unavailable. The embassy added that 50 of the 97 medicines used to treat cancer and tumours have run out of stock, placing nearly 4,000 patients at immediate risk.

Shortages have also affected specialised medical supplies, including dialysis filters and surgical sutures required for life-saving procedures.

Appeal for international support

The embassy said the Palestinian healthcare sector urgently requires medicines and medical supplies worth approximately 100 million US dollars.

It urged India to extend assistance through humanitarian channels and referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Aarogya Maitri initiative, under which India pledged to provide essential medical support to developing countries affected by humanitarian crises and natural disasters.

The embassy said immediate international action was needed to prevent further deterioration of healthcare services and address the growing humanitarian emergency.

According to WAFA News Agency, citing medical sources, the death toll from Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip has risen to 73,023, while 173,316 people have been injured since October 7, 2023. The sources added that 1,012 Palestinians have been killed and 3,208 injured since the ceasefire announced last year, while 784 bodies were recovered from beneath the rubble during the same period.