WHO / GAZA CITY HOSPITALS

WHO is appalled by the latest evacuation order, demanding that one million people move from Gaza City to a so-called "humanitarian zone" in the south designated by Israel. The zone has neither the size nor scale of services to support those already there, let alone new arrivals. This includes health care. Almost half of all functional hospitals are in Gaza City. This includes 36 percent of all hospital beds and 50 percent ICU beds across the Strip. The crippled health system cannot afford to lose any of these remaining facilities. WHO

• Video Length: 00:07:14
• Production Date: 16 September 2025
• Asset Language: Arabic
• Corporate Name: WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION - WHO
• Subject Topical: HUMANITARIAN CRISIS; HEALTH SERVICES
• Geographic Subject: GAZA
• MAMS Id: 3447443
• Parent Id: 3447443
• Alternate Title: unifeed250916e

Description

STORY: WHO / GAZA CITY HOSPITALS
TRT: 7:14
SOURCE: WHO
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT WHO ON SCREEN
LANGUAGE: ARABIC / NATS

DATELINE: 14 SEPTEMBER 2025, GAZA CITY

Shotlist

14 SEPTEMBER 2025, AL-SHIFA MEDICAL COMPLEX, GAZA CITY

1. Various shots, showing an overwhelmed Emergency Department. Injured people being bought in for treatment, others lying on the floor waiting to be treated, doctors examining and treating patients on the floor, blood and used medical supplies on the floor, distressed adults and children.
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Dr Ismail Ramadan, Emergency Physician, Al-Shifa Hospital:
“Of course, with the repeated evacuations in the Gaza Strip and most hospitals going out of service, like the Baptist Hospital now, the influx of patients and the injured to Al-Shifa Hospital is increasing. Of course, as you can see, the numbers are huge and the people are in the beds. There are not enough beds for the patients, and we are forced to treat the patients on the floor. Of course, the operating rooms are not enough. There are only three operating rooms. Yes, we have long waiting lists for the seriously injured. Unfortunately, we have to make choices between them. Between saving lives. Between children. Between the elderly.”
3. Various shots, patients on the floor, blood and more people arriving for treatment.
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Injured Man on floor:
“While going home I was shot in my leg. The situation in the hospital is very difficult. There are no doctors and no beds. I have been laying on the floor for an hour, unable to do anything. I am tired, and shot in the leg. I don’t know, I am very tired, I swear. Help us, people, save us and look for us. The situation in the hospital is difficult in Gaza.”
5. Wide shot, injured man on floor waiting to be treated

14 SEPTEMBER 2025, AL-RANTISI CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL, GAZA CITY

6. Various shots, Dr Mohammad Hejoh examining and treating a baby in the PICU
7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Dr Mohammad Hejoh, Head of Paedatric Intensive Care Unit
“The wave of Guillain-Barré syndrome that we faced, and still facing in the hospitals of the Gaza Strip, including this hospital; the IVIG which is an essential part of the treatment is not even available at all, tools, and lab tests are also not available, or the major part of them is not available. Also, MRI is not available, as we face difficulties in the diagnosis part. In most of our cases, and in most of our work. The nutrition side that we are also facing. The psychological pressure on us; are we leaving the hospital or not? Should we leave, or should we not? Are we here or not here? Our children at home, our family, we are unable to stay focused as we have no idea where to focus; should we keep our focus with the patients or our families at home?”
8. Various shots, health workers examining and treating a baby in the PICU
9. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Nour Rafat Motrer, Paediatrician:
“Al-Rantisi Hospital is currently the main children's hospital, we are getting patients not only from Al-Nasser or the north, but from everywhere. It became the main hospital, we are getting patients in large numbers either normal cases or complicated cases; need at least 3 months of medical attention, follow up, and medications. For instance, we have neurological patients who need a large amount of medication. Almost three-quarters of the medications we request are not available to us. Therefore, we need these medications to be available. We also need oxygen to be available all the time. I am talking here about a main hospital; it can’t go out of services as there are huge number of patient children will get directly affected.”
10. Various shots, Bissan’s young son on a hospital bed
11. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Bissan Jamal Dardoneh, mother of young patient:
“My son developed a fever 50 days ago. The doctors did all the necessary tests, but unfortunately, we have a shortage of resources, as MRI machines are not available in the hospital at the moment or in any other hospital in the Gaza Strip. There are also tests for immunity for children that are not available at all in the entire Gaza Strip, and this is what made my son's condition go from bad to worse, as the doctors were confused about knowing exactly what the problem was with the child and how to treat him.”
12. Various shots, Saeed’s son Moutasem on a hospital bed
13. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Saeed Nahed Saeed Arafah father of patient Moutasem
“I am the father of Moutasem Arafa, a child of one year and eight months old, who suffers from acute renal failure in both kidneys. He is now in Al-Rantisi Children's Hospital in the intensive care unit. The situation in general in the hospitals in light of the circumstances we are living in, is very difficult. The boy's condition is getting worse every day, and I am afraid of losing him.”
14. Close up, baby in an incubator

Storyline

WHO is appalled by the latest evacuation order, demanding that one million people move from Gaza City to a so-called "humanitarian zone" in the south designated by Israel. The zone has neither the size nor scale of services to support those already there, let alone new arrivals. This includes health care. Almost half of all functional hospitals are in Gaza City. This includes 36 percent of all hospital beds and 50 percent ICU beds across the Strip. The crippled health system cannot afford to lose any of these remaining facilities.

As violence escalates, hospitals in Gaza City are under immense pressure. They have turned once more into massive trauma ward, overwhelmed by the influx of wounded people and shortages of beds and critical supplies.

While the latest evacuation orders have not yet included hospitals, past incidents show how quickly they become non-functional when fighting blocks access for patients, prevents ambulances from reaching them, and cuts off resupply by WHO and partners.
To civilians in Gaza: WHO and partners remain in Gaza City.

To the international community: Act. Call for an immediate ceasefire. Call for international humanitarian law to be upheld, including the release of hostages and those arbitrarily detained. Call for the facilitation of unimpeded entry of lifesaving aid and essential services at the required scale.

WHO calls for the protection of health care, humanitarian workers and civilians. This catastrophe is human-made, and the responsibility rests with us all.