Speaking at a news conference outside al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Zahir al-Wahidi, director of the Gaza Health Ministry’s Information Center, described the shortages of fuel, transportation and medical supplies facing health facilities.
Wahidi said Israel’s heavy blockade had turned Gaza’s health facilities into structures isolated from the outside world and depleted of resources. He described the targeting and dismantling of the health system as a “planned and systematic crime at the level of genocide,” saying it had gone beyond a humanitarian catastrophe.
Risk to hospital power supply grows
Wahidi said hospitals were facing serious difficulties accessing the fuel, oil and spare parts needed to operate their main generators, and announced that more than 70% of the generators had completely stopped working.
Wahidi said critical and life-saving hospital departments could be unable to provide services at any moment, adding that health facilities were struggling to continue operating at a minimum level with the resources available.
Blockade affects transportation and health services
Wahidi said the blockade’s prevention of spare parts and vehicle tires from entering Gaza had left public transportation companies and buses largely out of service.
Wahidi said transportation problems had prevented hundreds of health workers from reaching their workplaces, deepening the isolation of health facilities and reducing their emergency response capacity.
Shortages of medicines and equipment continue
Wahidi said Gaza faced serious shortages of medicines and medical consumables because of the blockade, adding that most medical diagnostic devices were out of order. He said many patients and wounded people were waiting to leave Gaza for treatment because passage through the border crossings was restricted.
Wahidi rejected Israel’s statements that it had facilitated the entry of medical aid and logistical supplies into Gaza, arguing that the supplies allowed to enter the territory did not meet the minimum operating needs of health facilities.
Call to international organizations
Wahidi called on the United Nations Security Council, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and international and human rights organizations to take action to ensure the urgent entry of medical and operational supplies into Gaza.
Wahidi said the health system was trying to operate amid shortages of laboratory resources and medical supplies, adding that health facilities’ ability to provide diagnosis and treatment to patients and wounded people was steadily declining.
Wahidi also said Israel continued to restrict the entry of humanitarian aid, medicines and medical supplies into Gaza despite the ceasefire agreement that took effect on October 10, 2025.
