Rebuilding Health in Gaza: Why Reconstruction Must Begin with Health System Sovereignty and Local Leadership

Abstract

The health system in Gaza has been left fractured, reliant on donor support, and lacking the ability to maintain progress between reconstruction efforts because of the recurring conflicts that have taken place in the region. Based on current literature and the principles of health systems around the world, this commentary suggests that reconstruction efforts in Gaza need to progress from the current humanitarian response efforts to a locally driven and sovereign reconstruction of the health system. We will discuss the failures of the reconstruction models that have been used in the past, the need for urgent reconstruction of surgical, rehabilitative, and mental health services, and how donors, humanitarian agencies, and health professionals should adapt the way they engage with the health system in Gaza.