A NEW British medical study has warned of a dangerous spread of diseases caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria across the Gaza Strip, as the ongoing Israeli genocide continues to devastate the territory’s health and sanitation systems.
The Lancet medical journal revealed findings based on more than 1,300 samples collected from the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, one of the few microbiology labs still functioning in the besieged enclave.
The study found that two-thirds of patient samples taken over a 10-month period last year contained bacteria resistant to multiple drugs.
Experts say this surge in drug-resistant bacteria poses a severe threat, making illnesses harder to treat, accelerating the spread of infectious diseases, and increasing the likelihood of prolonged sickness, amputations, and death, especially in a population already weakened by starvation and injury.
‘This means longer and more severe illnesses, a higher risk of transmission, and greater chances of dying from what would normally be common infections,’ said Krystel Moussally, an epidemiology adviser with Médecins Sans Frontières who has researched antibiotic resistance in Gaza and other conflict zones in the Middle East.
‘It’s a horrifying picture,’ said Moussally.
Bilal Irfan, a co-author of the study and a medical researcher at Brigham and Women’s Hospital at Harvard University and the University of Michigan, described the findings as ‘extremely worrying’.
He noted that the true scale of the problem remains unknown due to the destruction of nearly all laboratories and the killing of much of Gaza’s medical staff.
Gaza has battled high levels of multi-drug-resistant bacteria for decades, exacerbated by repeated wars and the Israeli blockade since 2007.
However, experts say the current crisis is unprecedented: Healthcare infrastructure has been obliterated, sewage systems destroyed, garbage collection nearly halted, and widespread hunger has left Gaza’s 2.3 million residents more vulnerable to infections.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned on Tuesday that Israel must allow the agency to stockpile medical supplies to address the ‘catastrophic’ health situation.
Dr Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative in the occupied Palestinian territories, said more than half of Gaza’s essential medicines have run out.
Only 50% of hospitals and 38% of primary healthcare centres are partially operational, with bed occupancy reaching 240% at al-Shifa Hospital and 300% at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, both in northern Gaza.
Peeperkorn stressed that the WHO has been able to deliver far fewer supplies than needed due to ‘complex procedures’ imposed by Israeli authorities, adding that many essential products remain banned from entry.
‘The overall health situation is catastrophic. Hunger and malnutrition are destroying Gaza,’ he said.
An analysis of Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) medical data, patients’ testimonies, and first-hand medical witnessing at two MSF clinics in Gaza, point to both targeted and indiscriminate violence by Israeli forces and private American contractors against starved Palestinians at food distribution sites run by the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
MSF calls for the immediate dismantling of the GHF scheme; the restoration of the UN-coordinated aid delivery mechanism; and calls on governments, especially the United States, as well as private donors to suspend all financial and political support for the GHF, whose sites are essentially death traps.
An new MSF study published in The Lancet said: ‘MSF teams report that health-care staff do not have the crucial supplies and equipment necessary to treat these complex wounds, resulting in suboptimal care delivery and earlier than required discharge of patients.
‘We observed high percentages of wound infections; on average 18·3% (4,143 of 22,637) of patients coming to health facilities for the first time have infected wounds, which is especially concerning considering the high prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in the region and lack of fully functional microbiology laboratories or suitable antibiotics.
‘In one MSF-supported health facility, wound infections were as high as 28%.
‘Most wound care-related consultations caused by violent trauma were for wounds caused by bombs and shells (32,951 [83·0%]), followed by gunshot-related (4,486 [11·3%]) and burn-related injuries (1,496 [3·8%]).
‘Explosive weapons are designed to be used in open battlefields, but are increasingly being used in urban areas.
‘The makeshift shelters in which people live following frequent displacement offer almost no protection against explosive weapons, and especially their secondary effects such as blast, shrapnel, and incendiary impact.
‘In two hospitals, we observed that nearly 60% of lower-limb wounds were related to explosive weapons, often with open injuries to bone, muscle, or skin.
‘These injuries are consistent with the wide-area effects of explosive weapons as reported by our clinical staff.
‘Most immediate fatalities occur at the scene of impact and thus are not captured in our data.
‘Under-reporting of both injuries and deaths could be prevalent in vulnerable populations who are often not able to move away from sites of impact such as infants, children, people with disabilities, and older adults.
‘Other morbidities included upper respiratory tract infections, diarrhoea, and skin diseases (eg, scabies).
‘There was an increase of upper respiratory tract infections between September and December, 2024, accounting for 25% of all consultations.
‘This increase can be explained due to seasonality and crowding in makeshift shelters, enhancing conditions for transmission.
‘These shelters offer limited protection against fine dust, debris, and pollutants, which are other factors associated with respiratory conditions and longer-term health effects.
‘Since October 7th, 2023, over 1,580 health-care workers (including 12 MSF colleagues) have been killed.
Not a single hospital in Gaza is fully functional.
‘From February 27th to May 22nd, 2025, no entry was granted for our (bio)medical and life-saving supplies into Gaza.
‘Restrictions continue on the importation of what Israeli officials consider dual-use items (items that can be used for both civilian and military purposes), which includes essential biomedical equipment.
‘These restrictions reduce our ability to support trauma surgery activities.
‘Consequently, we will be facing critical shortages of essential medical supplies in the weeks to come.
‘We are currently rationing food for patients in our inpatient departments, and are only able to provide one or two meals a day. It is likely we will not be able to offer any food for our patients in the coming weeks.
‘MSF reiterates our call for an immediate and standing ceasefire, for the protection of civilians, and respect for essential medical and humanitarian work.
‘We urge the Israeli government to directly allow and protect impartial and unrestricted medical aid into Gaza.’
