7 November 2025
Over the past 12 months, the clinic has provided vital care to more than 77,000 people.
In two years, the Israeli military has systematically dismantled Gaza’s healthcare system, leaving two million Palestinians without proper access to treatment and medication. The genocide placed an even greater strain on the remaining partially functional hospitals, where doctors and nurses continue to do everything they can to provide care.
MAP’s vision is a future where all Palestinians can access an effective, sustainable and locally-led system of healthcare, and we continue to work towards this despite Israel’s military occupation and genocide. Our team in Gaza is working to support the restoration of hospitals and healthcare facilities, support local partners to provide emergency medical care and provide desperately needed equipment, medicines and services.
In response to the huge number of forcibly displaced Palestinians in Gaza (currently estimated at 90% of the population) living in makeshift tents and other temporary shelters, MAP opened the Solidarity Polyclinic in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, to provide healthcare services to Palestinians in the surrounding area.
Our staff, alongside local healthcare professionals, provide a huge range of services at the clinic including mental health support, wound care, vaccines and family medicine.
Maram Al Shurafa, our Acting Medical Programme Lead in Gaza said: “Since the large-scale displacement from Gaza City, the demand for our services has grown significantly, especially for wound care and chronic disease management. Many older patients face challenges reaching their medications, and some travel long distances just to receive care. This motivates us to keep going, to stay present, and to keep advocating for our patients’ right to health.
We are continuously working to expand our capacity so that we can reach more people in need. Personally, I love working here. This place allows me to serve, to connect with people, and to listen to their stories. It gives me strength and hope, even in the hardest moments. We will continue to stand by our community for as long as the need remains, wherever people are, we will be there with them.”
On 20 July the polyclinic was forced to evacuate as the Israeli military issue forced displacement orders for the area. The team had just hours to pack up as much medication and equipment as they could fit in their cars, not knowing when or if they would be able to return. Our staff and the communities we serve were devastated and 400 patients were left without care every single day.
On Sunday 27 July, Israeli forces lifted the forced displacement order and the team were able to return and resume receiving patients within days.
Falah has been receiving physiotherapy and occupational therapy at the polyclinic for the past two months after an accident that injured his shoulder. He describes his experience as a turning point in his recovery journey: “I’ve been coming to the polyclinic for a while. At first, I was completely broken and in so much pain. I told Wissam, the physiotherapist, that my dream was to be able to move my arm even 70%. Today, I can move it freely and use it again, and I’m still continuing my sessions. I’ve come a long way in my recovery and regained more than I ever imagined. I feel very comfortable here, maybe because Wissam treats me like a friend, and we talk about everything. Coming here feels like emotional relief as much as it is physical therapy.”
As Israel’s invasion of Gaza City intensified, and more and more Palestinians are driven from their homes and forced to flee south, the polyclinic is a vital lifeline for communities. It is now serving more than 600 patients every day.
Despite the immense challenges the team have faced in the last year and continue to face, they are steadfast in their work, unwavering in their determination to provide the best possible care to their community.
MAP’s Deputy director, Mohammed Alkhatib, said: “we are truly blessed with our dedicated teams, despite being displaced and enduring the same suffering as all Palestinians in Gaza, still they are able to provide essential support and services, with comprehensive approach like the one that we are proud of within our clinic. This is why we in MAP remains committed to focusing on the local capacity to rebuild and support Palestinians, because, no matter the circumstances, they still continue to rise and provide.’
