A Doctor’s Final Duty: Struck In The Heart of Gaza

A prominent figure in Gaza’s healthcare system, Dr. Marwan Sultan, director of the Indonesian Hospital, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on his home in Gaza City, along with several members of his family.

The strike occurred on the evening of Wednesday, July 2, 2025, in the Tal al-Hawa district, a residential area in the city’s southwest.

According to the Hamas-run civil defense agency, the attack also claimed the lives of Dr. Sultan’s wife, daughters, and son-in-law.

The Israeli military acknowledged conducting an airstrike in the area, stating it targeted a “key terrorist” from Hamas.

While it did not confirm Dr. Sultan’s death directly, the military said it was reviewing reports of civilian casualties and reiterated that it aims to “mitigate harm to uninvolved individuals.”

However, relatives of Dr. Sultan and eyewitnesses say the missile struck his room precisely, leaving the rest of the apartment largely intact.

“My father was not involved with any political movement,” said his daughter, Lubna al-Sultan, speaking to the Associated Press.

“He just cared for his patients.

“He was targeted directly.”

She described the precision of the strike as chilling: “All the rooms in the house were intact except for his room.”

Dr. Sultan had long been a symbol of resilience in Gaza’s strained medical community.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, he was known for his unwavering commitment to patient care under extreme conditions.

His hospital, the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza, was declared out of service after repeated bombings left it severely damaged.

The UN citing “sustained structural destruction” and the Israeli military claiming it was attacking “terrorist infrastructure.”

With the loss of this facility, and others similarly struck, the United Nations has confirmed that there are now no operational hospitals remaining in the northern Gaza region.

Health officials accuse the Israeli military of systematically targeting healthcare workers and humanitarian sites.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), in response, accused Hamas of using civilian infrastructure to shield its operations and again claimed to be acting in compliance with international law.

The airstrike that killed Dr. Sultan is only one of many incidents reported in the past 24 hours across Gaza.

The Hamas-run health ministry said at least 139 people were killed during that period.

Among the dead were five civilians, including children, in the al-Mawasi area near Khan Younis, an area previously designated by Israel as a “safe zone.”

According to survivors, the strike on the al-Mawasi camp occurred around 12:40 a.m. while families were sleeping.

“It felt like an earthquake,” said Tamam Abu Rizq, who witnessed the destruction.

“I ran outside and found the tent on fire.”

Her relative, Maha Abu Rizq, added: “They came here thinking it was safe. What did they do to deserve this?”

Footage from the scene shows scorched personal belongings scattered across the ruins of what had been a makeshift shelter.

One man, holding up a child’s diaper, asked in disbelief, “Is this a weapon?”

Videos from Nasser Hospital show frantic scenes as injured children are carried in and grieving families mourn over the dead.

In a separate incident, another four members of a single family were killed in Gaza City.

Local sources named them as Ahmed Ayyad Zeno, his wife Ayat, and their daughters Zahra and Obaida.

The circumstances mirrored many others: an airstrike on a residential home, no warning, no survivors.

Beyond the immediate danger from bombs, residents of Gaza now also contend with sweltering summer heat, which has reached over 30°C (86°F).

Displaced families sheltering in tents, with little access to clean water or electricity, say the conditions are unbearable.

“My children cry all day from the heat,” said Reda Abu Hadayed. “They only rest when the sun goes down.”

As the war continues with no ceasefire in place, and negotiations drag on, humanitarian workers warn of rising desperation.

Rachel Cummings, with Save the Children, said even the youngest victims are losing hope.

“Children in our ‘wishing circles’ are now saying they wish to die—just to be with their parents or to escape hunger.”

Since Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, which left around 1,200 dead and 251 taken hostage, Israel’s response has resulted in the deaths of more than 57,000 people in Gaza.

These included more than 15,000 children, according to the health ministry in the territory.

With infrastructure collapsing and nowhere left to run, the people of Gaza face a mounting humanitarian catastrophe.

The death of Dr. Marwan Sultan underscores a grim truth: not even healers are spared in this war.

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