Gaza Health System Collapsing Amid Deadly Chaos at Aid Distribution Sites: ICRC Warns of ‘Unprecedented’ Surge in Casualties
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GAZA CITY | July 9, 2025 — The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has sounded the alarm over a “sharp surge” in deaths and injuries near humanitarian aid distribution sites in Gaza, stating that the situation is pushing the enclave’s already-crippled health infrastructure past the point of collapse.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the ICRC said that its field hospital in southern Gaza has recorded more than 200 deaths and treated over 2,200 weapon-wounded patients since the launch of new aid delivery points in late May.
“The scale and frequency of these incidents are without precedent,” said the ICRC, adding that their staff has responded to more mass casualty events in the past month than in all of last year combined.
Mass Casualty Events Around Aid Points Surge Since May
The chaos has been particularly acute since the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) — a US- and Israeli-backed initiative — began operations on May 26, attempting to fill a void left after Israel cut off aid supplies for over two months.
The initiative was intended to prevent imminent famine in the besieged territory, but has instead been marred by deadly chaos, crowd crushes, and alleged live fire incidents by Israeli forces targeting civilians gathering at food points.
According to the UN Human Rights Office, over 500 people have been killed while waiting for aid since GHF began distributing rations. The GHF has denied that these deaths occurred directly at its aid locations, despite mounting documentation from aid groups, health workers, and eyewitnesses.
Hospitals Overwhelmed, Staff Pushed to Their Limits
The ICRC painted a bleak picture of operations at its southern Gaza field hospital, which has become one of the last functioning health facilities in the territory.
“Physiotherapists are now supporting nurses by cleaning and dressing wounds and taking vitals. Cleaners act as orderlies, and midwives are working in palliative care,” said the Red Cross.
The health system’s breakdown has forced non-specialist staff to take on critical medical roles, with all hands redirected to emergency response work due to the relentless influx of trauma patients.
The organization warned that the current pace of casualties is unsustainable, and that supplies, staff, and energy are being depleted at an alarming rate.
Fuel, Medicine, and Medical Supplies Critically Low
For months, Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure has been teetering on collapse, with Israeli-imposed restrictions on fuel and aid entry severely crippling hospital operations.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported Monday that no fuel has entered Gaza in four months, rendering essential services, including ambulances, clean water, and electricity for hospitals, nearly impossible to sustain.
“The absence of accessible fuel means no ambulances, no electricity for hospitals, and no clean water,” stated the UN.
OCHA further warned that rationing of remaining supplies is ongoing, but cannot sustain life-saving operations for much longer.
A Humanitarian Crisis Worsens as War Enters 21st Month
The deteriorating humanitarian conditions come as the war between Israel and Hamas enters its 21st month, with Israeli airstrikes and ground operations continuing throughout the Gaza Strip.
The destruction of civilian infrastructure, repeated attacks on aid convoys, and restrictions on border crossings have made Gaza one of the world’s most dangerous and underserved conflict zones.
The ICRC’s field data suggests that the current wave of violence near aid sites is not just a result of crowd control failures, but indicative of larger systemic issues, including the lack of coordinated aid distribution, absence of civilian protection protocols, and a void of accountability for attacks near humanitarian centers.
Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Under Fire
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a privately run initiative with backing from the US and Israeli governments, is now facing mounting scrutiny for failing to maintain safe, orderly, and equitable food distribution.
The group’s claim that no shootings occurred near its food points contradicts independent reports and humanitarian watchdogs, who have cited repeated fatal incidents involving Israeli soldiers near ration lines.
Human rights advocates argue that the entire aid operation must be reassessed, especially given the growing number of mass fatalities, many involving children and elderly.
Global Calls for Action Intensify
With Gaza’s population facing severe food insecurity, lack of medical aid, and now frequent deaths at food sites, international organizations have begun to call for immediate intervention.
Multiple UN agencies, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, are urging for:
- Unrestricted access for aid convoys
- Immediate fuel entry
- An international inquiry into aid site violence
- Protection zones for humanitarian distribution
Yet, despite global outcry, political negotiations between Israel, Egypt, Qatar, and international donors have yielded little in terms of concrete relief efforts.
Reader Takeaway
The ICRC’s warning lays bare a humanitarian crisis spiraling out of control in Gaza. Aid meant to save lives is now contributing to mass casualties, while the health system lies in ruins, and fuel blockades choke vital services. Unless international stakeholders act decisively to ensure safe, dignified, and sustained aid delivery, the death toll will continue to rise, and the people of Gaza will suffer deeper — and entirely preventable — loss.