Managing Ultimate Critical Resources Shortages - Case of Hospitals Emergency Departments During War on Gaza (2023-2026)

This study examines the reality of medical care in emergency departments in the Gaza Strip under the effects of the Israeli assault during 2023–2026, with a focus on managing medical resources in an environment marked by severe scarcity and persistent pressure. From a health economics perspective, the study explains how medical teams deal with shortages in medicines, consumables, diagnostic tests, and equipment, and how these shortages affect service quality and sustainability. The study also discusses the changing role of emergency departments after the decline of primary care services, as these departments became a quasi-comprehensive point of access for a wide range of patients.
The study adopts a descriptive analytical approach supported by field observations from the hospitals emergency departments. It presents several clinical cases that highlight the effect of time and resources on medical decision-making, such as hypertensive emergency, suspected chest pain, and acute stroke. The study concludes that the crisis in Gaza is not only about the lack of resources, but also about how these resources are distributed, coordinated, and linked to the needs of the health system. It also shows that medical teams still play a central role in maintaining service continuity despite the pressure. The findings highlight how structural deficiencies and the destruction of health infrastructure, including medical laboratories and specialized services, have created new challenges to the delivery of health care, calling for innovative approaches to resource management and enhancing the resilience of the health system in this besieged sector, which has been embroiled in the most horrific genocide in modern history.

Emergency Care, Resource Management, Gaza Hospitals

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