ICRC Field Hospital in Rafah Struggles to Meet Surging Demand as One of Southern Gaza’s Last Functioning Facilities

The International Committee of the Red Cross field hospital in Rafah is overwhelmed by medical needs as it functions as one of the few remaining operational facilities in southern Gaza. Pat Griffiths, a spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross, told Al Jazeera that the ICRC field hospital in Rafah is one of the few functioning facilities in southern Gaza.

The hospital is overwhelmed by needs even as the wider health system in southern Gaza is collapsing, Griffiths said.

The International Committee of the Red Cross operates a field hospital in Rafah that has become a critical point for care in the southernmost area of the Gaza Strip. With few other facilities still operating, the hospital has seen demand surge beyond its capacity. Griffiths described the dire conditions facing medical operations across the region.

The collapse of the wider health system has left the ICRC facility to manage a disproportionate share of trauma cases, chronic conditions and emergency care. The situation underscores the limited medical infrastructure available to the population in southern Gaza.

No additional facilities were mentioned as alternatives to the ICRC hospital in the area.