Gaza Residents Too Weak from Israeli-Imposed Famine to Donate Blood

Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters

For decades, donating blood has symbolized Palestinian solidarity in the war-torn coastal enclave, particularly during conflicts. Hospitals would see thousands lining up to help the wounded, even as bombs fell nearby.

Now, that tradition is fading. After almost two years of an Israeli genocidal war, famine and malnutrition have drained residents’ strength, leaving many unable to give even a single drop of blood.

Medical officials stated that the collapse in donations is deepening an already severe health crisis, caused not only by continuous bombings but also by Israel’s tightened blockade restricting food and medical supplies.

The result is a tragic paradox: just when hospitals need blood most, starving Palestinians cannot provide it. Gaza’s Ministry of Health reports that hunger and malnutrition have already killed 361 people, including 130 children, effectively turning starvation into a weapon of war.

At Al-Shifa Hospital, 25-year-old Mohammed Abu Zeid sat hesitating outside the blood donation hall. A father of two who lost his job months ago, he admitted his body could no longer bear losing blood.

"I used to donate in every war, but now I can barely stand from hunger. For two days, I had only a piece of bread and a sip of tea," he stated. His story is common. Daily, dozens who once rushed to donate now find themselves too frail, even as hospitals face surging demand.

The ongoing Israeli war has filled emergency rooms with casualties, yet famine leaves potential donors too weak for basic functions. Doctors describe an unprecedented health emergency. Continuous surgeries are draining already limited blood supplies.

Ahmed Salim, a Gaza blood bank doctor, stated, "The famine has made many donors medically unfit, hemoglobin levels are critically low, and some faint after trying to donate. Seeing people willing to help but unable because of hunger is even worse than the lack of supplies."

The Ministry of Health warns the shortage has reached a dangerous level. Munir al-Barsh explained that hundreds of surgeries happen daily, but most donors are rejected due to severe malnutrition, putting lives at risk in operating rooms. Mohammed Zaqout, head of Gaza’s field hospitals, described the situation as catastrophic. Young men arrive wanting to donate, only to discover they themselves need transfusions. The health system is critical, and patients are dying every day from insufficient blood.

This crisis is linked to Israel’s blockade since the war began 23 months ago, restricting food and medical aid and closing crossings after the first ceasefire phase ended. Palestinian officials describe these measures as "starvation engineering" aimed at breaking resilience. Aid deliveries resumed after four months but remain far below Gaza’s needs.

The Government Media Office reported only 534 trucks entered in the last five days, a fraction of the expected 3,000. Over 35 days, only 3,188 trucks arrived, covering 15 per cent of the 21,000 needed. Israel has been accused of allowing looting and restricting 430 essential food items for children, the sick, and malnourished, compounding the blood shortage crisis.

The impact is clear in hospital wards across Gaza. In Khan Younis, 27-year-old Hussam Qanna lies critically wounded after an Israeli strike. His family cannot secure enough blood.

"We searched relatives, but most suffer from anaemia," his mother stated. "At donation centres, willing people were rejected for being too weak. Hunger is killing us twice, in our stomachs and in our inability to save loved ones."

Similar situations repeat elsewhere. At al-Aqsa Hospital, relatives of wounded Mohammed Abu Amra were turned away for malnutrition. "My son urgently needs surgery, but without enough blood, we could lose him. Donors arrive skeletal and are rejected. We are helpless," he stated.

Doctors warn anaemia is widespread among women and children, undermining all calls for blood donations. With Israeli-imposed famine sweeping Gaza, the solidarity that once saw thousands donating blood has itself become a casualty.