Jerusalem : The medical community in Gaza is reeling from the loss of Dr. Marwan al-Sultan, a respected 49-year-old cardiologist and former director of the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike last week. Colleagues described his death as a devastating blow to an already crippled healthcare system in the war-torn region, reported the Toronto Star.
Dr. al-Sultan was one of only two cardiologists serving in northern Gaza, and his death leaves a deep void at a time when hospitals are overwhelmed with casualties and suffering from severe shortages. According to Dr. Mohammed Abu Selmia, director of Shifa Hospital and a close friend of Dr. al-Sultan, “Thousands of people will suffer without his care. He was a mentor and trainer to the next generation of doctors in Gaza.”
A photograph from 2022 captures Dr. al-Sultan alongside 30 senior doctors at a graduation ceremony at the Islamic University in Gaza City. At least five of those physicians are now dead, killed in Israeli airstrikes or, in one case, while in Israeli custody.
The Israeli military claimed that the airstrike which hit Dr. al-Sultan’s residence in Gaza City’s Tal al-Hawa neighborhood targeted a “key terrorist” from Hamas but did not provide evidence. The military said it “regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals” and that the incident is under review.
Dr. al-Sultan was reportedly off-duty when the missile struck his third-floor apartment, killing him, his wife, daughter, and son-in-law. Another daughter, Lubna, survived and told reporters that their building was deliberately targeted, with other units left intact.
“He could have worked anywhere in the world,” said Dr. Mohammed al-Assi, a colleague who studied with him in Jordan. “But he chose to return to Gaza in 2019 to serve his people. His death is not only a loss to his family but to all of Gaza.”
Dr. al-Sultan was the last director of the Indonesian Hospital, which ceased operations in June due to intensified Israeli military action in the area. He had been vocal on social media about the dire conditions health workers faced and had insisted on continuing his service despite repeated attacks.
More than 1,400 health workers in Gaza have been killed since the war began in October 2023, according to UN figures. The World Health Organization (WHO) has documented nearly 700 attacks on medical facilities during this period.
Only 17 out of Gaza’s 36 hospitals remain operational, with just 12 able to provide care beyond basic emergency services. The northern regions, including Beit Lahiya where Dr. al-Sultan worked, are experiencing particularly dire conditions due to repeated Israeli assaults.
Dr. Abu Selmia fears for the future of Gaza’s healthcare system, noting that there are now too few specialists left to train the next generation. However, he draws a sliver of hope from Dr. al-Sultan’s son, Ahmed, who is currently studying medicine and aspires to follow in his father’s footsteps.
Several other leading doctors pictured in the 2022 graduation ceremony have also died:
Dr. Adnan al-Bursh, orthopedic chief at Shifa Hospital, died in Israeli detention.
Dr. Hammam Alloh, a nephrologist, was killed in an airstrike with his family in November 2023.
Dr. Mohammed Dabbour, Gaza’s first cancer pathologist, was killed with his father and son in October 2023.
Dr. Rafat Lubbad, an internal medicine specialist, was killed along with seven family members in November 2023.
Despite the grim situation, Gaza’s remaining doctors continue to serve with resilience and courage. “Dr. Marwan was more than a doctor; he was a symbol of resistance, compassion, and hope,” said Abu Selmia.
