Gaza City: Dr. Marwan Sultan, the director of the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Wednesday, July 2. The strike targeted his home near the 17th junction, west of Gaza City, also claiming the lives of his wife and five children, reported the Siasat.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza strongly condemned the killing, calling it a “heinous crime” and part of a systematic campaign against medical and humanitarian personnel. In a statement, the ministry declared, “This crime reflects a deliberate strategy to target those providing lifesaving services,” stressing that such acts constitute a clear violation of international humanitarian law.
Dr. Sultan was a prominent cardiology specialist and one of only two consultants in the field in northern Gaza. He played a pivotal role in managing critical medical services at the Indonesian Hospital, which has been overwhelmed by casualties from ongoing Israeli bombardments.
The tragedy has further highlighted the worsening collapse of Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure. The healthcare system is in a state of near-collapse, severely strained by the continued blockade, destruction of medical facilities, and repeated attacks on health workers—actions that experts warn violate the Geneva Conventions.
According to the Government Media Office in Gaza, at least 1,580 medical professionals have been killed since the war began on October 7, 2023.
Meanwhile, on the diplomatic front, former US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that Israel had accepted terms for a proposed 60-day ceasefire, to be presented by Qatari and Egyptian mediators. “I hope, for the sake of the Middle East, that Hamas accepts this agreement, because the situation will not get better—it will get worse,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Hamas responded on Wednesday, expressing its willingness to consider the proposal, but reaffirmed its position that any agreement must include a complete end to the war.
As of July 1, 2025, the Palestinian Health Ministry reports that 56,647 Palestinians have been killed and 134,105 injured in Gaza since the start of the conflict. The war has devastated the enclave, triggering mounting international outrage over the unprecedented civilian toll and humanitarian catastrophe.
