TIME 100 HEALTH-LEADERS

'Catastrophic.' -BASHAR MURAD ON THE HEALTH SITUATION IN GAZA

- Jamie Ducharme

Bashar Murad
CARE IN WAR

Since the war between Israel and Hamas began in October 2023, Gaza's health care system has been severely damaged by Israeli airstrikes. As of early March, according to the International Rescue Committee, medical supplies were running scarce and only a dozen of Gaza's 36 hospitals remained even partially functional—at a time when demand for medical services is off the charts because of the continuing conflict.

In a November interview with AI Jazeera, local physician Bashar Murad described the situation as "catastrophic." But that hasn't stopped him from doing whatever he can for the Palestinian people. Murad is the executive director of the Palestine Red Crescent Society part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, a global humanitarian network-which has stepped up to provide first aid, medical treatment, humanitarian aid, and psychosocial support as the Palestinian health care network was torn apart and international aid agencies were kept at bay.

Under Murad's leadership, the Palestine Red Crescent Society performed emergency first aid on almost 18,000 injured people in the Gaza Strip from October 2023 to March 2024, in addition to providing community health care to more than 162,000 people and mental-health support to almost 60,000. The group maintains a network of medical centers and relief camps (where displaced people can also get food, water, and hygiene supplies) throughout Gaza, and operates a fleet of ambulances that can respond to emergency situations. Although it has been forced to close or move some of its operations because of destruction in Gaza, the group continues to provide some of the most robust-and sorely needed medical services currently available on the ground. 

Shahzad Baig
ERADICATING POLIO