Hospitals Face Shutdown Within 48 Hours Due to Fuel Shortages, Says Gaza's Health Min.
Ahmed Emam
Hospitals in the Gaza Strip are on the verge of a complete shutdown within the next 48 hours due to a critical fuel shortage, the Palestinian Ministry of Health warned on Wednesday, raising alarms over the imminent collapse of the healthcare system.
Dr. Khalil Al-Daqran, spokesperson for the ministry in Gaza, stated that the few remaining operational hospitals are struggling to function as fuel supplies dwindle. 'We are facing a total breakdown of the health sector,' he said, citing Israeli restrictions on fuel deliveries and aid access.
According to Al-Daqran, fuel is not delivered directly to hospitals but is stored by United Nations agencies and then distributed under Israeli supervision. Currently, Israeli forces are reportedly blocking these organizations from reaching fuel storage locations, threatening the continuity of medical services across the territory.
Of Gaza's 16 government hospitals, only five remain even partially operational, and just three — Al-Shifa, Al-Aqsa Martyrs, and Nasser hospitals — are still admitting patients. Even so, these facilities are functioning at minimal capacity. 'Al-Shifa is operating at less than 20% of its normal capacity due to the severe shortages of fuel, medications, and essential supplies,' Al-Daqran said.
He also noted that Israel has blocked the entry of medical aid and medications for over 90 days, even during declared ceasefires. As a result, more than 80% of Gaza's healthcare infrastructure has collapsed.
The pressure on medical staff has reached breaking point. Al-Daqran described a state of 'total exhaustion' among healthcare workers, who have been working nonstop for more than 20 months. Many are receiving only 8% of their salaries and continue to work under extreme hardship.
'Medical teams are operating under life-threatening conditions,' he said. 'Over 1,800 healthcare workers have been killed, and more than 3,000 have been injured since the beginning of the war.' He also claimed that Israeli forces have deliberately targeted specialized doctors and shut down multiple hospitals, causing a significant loss in medical expertise.
Many doctors have not left their hospitals in months, choosing to stay with their patients despite limited food, supplies, and even basic meals. 'They left their families behind to keep saving lives,' Al-Daqran said, 'in one of the harshest and most dangerous healthcare environments in the world.'
The warning comes amid an ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, where escalating military operations, prolonged blockade measures, and the breakdown of critical infrastructure have left millions without access to essential services.
read more
Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685
NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria
Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO
Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided
News
Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks
News
Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank
News
Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region
News
One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid
News
China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier
Sports
Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer
Lifestyle
Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt
News
Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies
Business
Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War
Arts & Culture
Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies
News
Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks
News
Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan
Videos & Features
Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream
Technology
50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al-Ahram Weekly
a day ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Israeli forces kill at least 60 across Gaza, half near aid centres - War on Gaza
Israeli forces killed at least 60 people in Gaza on Friday, including 31 Palestinians seeking aid, the territory's civil defence agency said. Five people died while waiting for aid in the southern Gaza Strip, and 26 others were killed near the Netzarim corridor, an Israeli-controlled area where thousands of Palestinians gather daily hoping to receive food rations amid a deepening humanitarian crisis. Since late May, Israeli forces have killed more than 250 people near aid distribution points run by the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. The foundation faces rejection from UN agencies and major aid groups over concerns it serves Israeli military interests and undermines independent humanitarian efforts. In separate strikes, Israeli attacks killed 14 people near Deir el-Balah and 13 around Gaza City, including one strike on a phone charging station, while Israeli gunfire killed two more Palestinians in the south. The armed wing of the Palestinian group Al-Quds Brigades said it targeted an Israeli military post in Khan Younis, which remains under Israeli military evacuation orders. Gaza's health ministry reported the death toll from Israel's genocidal war on the territory has now reached 55,637, with women and children comprising the majority of victims. Medical officials warn hospitals face imminent shutdown within days as Israeli forces continue to block fuel supplies vital for operating generators that power critical medical equipment, worsening an already catastrophic humanitarian situation. *This story was edited by Ahram Online. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Egypt Independent
a day ago
- Egypt Independent
Iran accuses Israel of third hospital attack in Tehran
Iran's Ministry of Health has announced that the Israeli 'occupation' targeted a hospital in the capital, Tehran, marking the third such incident, according to international media reports. The Ministry stated that the 'Zionist entity' has struck six ambulances and a health services center since its 'aggression' against the country began. Last Friday, the Israeli 'occupation' launched attacks against various areas in Iran. These strikes were not limited to military zones; rather, the majority targeted residential areas, resulting in approximately 600 fatalities, mostly civilians, to date, according to international media. Separately, Iranian media reported that an Israeli drone targeted a residential building in central Tehran.
Al-Ahram Weekly
2 days ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Gaza rescuers say Israeli fire kills 72 more Palestinians - War on Gaza
Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli forces killed at least 72 people on Thursday, including 21 who had gathered near aid distribution sites as famine looms after more than 20 months of war. Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that six people were killed while waiting for aid in the southern Gaza Strip and 15 others in a central area known as the Netzarim corridor, where thousands of Palestinians have gathered daily in the hope of receiving food rations. The Israeli army told AFP that its troops in Netzarim corridor -- a strip of land militarised by Israel that bisects the Palestinian territory -- had fired "warning shots" at "suspects" approaching them, but that it was "not aware of any injured individuals". The army did not comment on the incident reported in the south. In northern Gaza, Bassal said that nine separate Israeli strikes killed another 51 people, updating earlier tolls provided by his agency. Bassam Abu Shaar, who witnessed the shooting incident in the Netzarim area, said thousands of people had gathered there overnight in the hope of receiving aid at the US- and Israeli-backed distribution site when it opened in the morning. "Around 1:00 am (2200 GMT Wednesday), they started shooting at us," he told AFP by phone, reporting gunfire, tank shelling and bombs dropped by drones. Abu Shaar said that the size of the crowd had made it impossible for people to escape, with casualties left lying on the ground within walking distance of the distribution point, which is run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. "We couldn't help them or even escape ourselves," he said. At least 3o0 Palestinians have been killed in recent weeks while trying to reach aid distribution points in Gaza, which is suffering from famine-like conditions, the health ministry has said. Israeli restrictions on media in the Gaza Strip and difficulties in accessing some areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by rescuers and authorities in the Palestinian territory. In early March, Israel imposed an aid blockade on Gaza amid a deadlock in truce negotiations, only partially easing restrictions in late May. After Israel loosened its blockade, the privately run Gaza Humanitarian Foundation began distributing aid, but its operations have been marred by chaotic scenes. UN agencies and major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the foundation -- which has the support of Israel and its ally the United States -- over concerns it was designed to cater to Israeli military objectives. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
