Health services in Gaza face a new risk of disruption because of shortages of fuel and generator parts. Munir al-Barsh, director general of the Gaza Strip Health Ministry, said the World Health Organization (WHO) would halt diesel deliveries to more than 20 hospitals and health centers starting September 19.
Al-Barsh said the decision was linked to insufficient funding. He said the fuel and lubricants needed to keep health facilities operating were not reaching Gaza in sufficient quantities.
Fuel shortages threaten hospitals' critical services
Al-Barsh said the limited fuel reaching Gaza was only enough to keep health facilities functioning and warned that halting diesel supplies would have consequences beyond stopping generators. He said the disruption could also force operating rooms and intensive care units out of service.
The fuel crisis poses risks to ventilators, oxygen stations, children in incubators, dialysis patients, the wounded and people with chronic illnesses. Ambulance services and the cold chain for medicines and vaccines could also be affected by the disruption.
Warning that hospitals were nearing a complete shutdown, al-Barsh called on the WHO and donor countries to ensure that sufficient fuel and lubricants reach health facilities safely and sustainably.
Generator failures disrupt health services
The Gaza Health Ministry said some hospital generators had stopped working in recent days because sufficient lubricants, spare parts and fuel were unavailable. Shortages of the oil and spare parts used in generators are compounding the fuel crisis.
Because of power cuts, generators serve as the primary power source for operating Gaza's hospitals' vital departments and medical equipment. Technical and mechanical failures have recurred after temporary repairs using used or alternative parts, as the necessary components were unavailable.
Disruptions to fuel supplies have been linked to the closure of the Kerem Abu Salim Crossing between Israel and Gaza since October 2023. The Rafah Crossing between Gaza and Egypt has also been under the control of the Israeli army since May 2024, with crossings taking place only on a limited basis.
Only limited numbers of patients, wounded people and those returning to the area, as well as restricted quantities of humanitarian, relief and medical supplies, have been allowed to pass through the crossings. The Gaza government media office has repeatedly said that the quantities of aid and fuel stipulated in the ceasefire agreement have not been delivered to the area.
More than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed, over 174,000 people have been injured and about 90 percent of the infrastructure has been damaged since the war began in Gaza on October 8, 2023.
