OMM Redaksiyası
More than 20 hospitals and medical centers in the Gaza Strip could lose one of their main fuel sources from Sept. 19, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Munir al-Bursh, director general of Gaza’s Health Ministry, said the World Health Organization (WHO) had decided to halt diesel deliveries because of a funding shortage. The WHO did not immediately comment on the claim. The organization has previously said that reduced funding was placing pressure on its humanitarian operations.
According to al-Bursh, the amount of fuel entering Gaza is already insufficient to keep medical facilities operating. He warned that a further reduction could lead to the closure of operating rooms and intensive care units and disrupt the operation of ventilators and oxygen stations.
A suspension of fuel supplies could also affect patients receiving dialysis, people with chronic illnesses, the wounded and children in incubators. Al-Bursh described the situation as the “silent killing of patients in their beds.”
Gaza’s Health Ministry said in recent days that several generators had stopped working because they lacked sufficient fuel, oil and spare parts. Hospitals have been forced to use generators to power equipment in critical departments amid prolonged electricity cuts.
The fuel shortage could also affect emergency medical services and cooling systems needed to store medicines and vaccines. The ministry called on the WHO, donors and the international community to ensure that hospitals receive sufficient fuel.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said the crisis had been aggravated by restrictions on the entry of fuel and humanitarian aid into the territory. According to the ministry, restrictions at the Kerem Shalom crossing and the limited operation of the Rafah crossing on the border with Egypt have worsened the shortages.
Gaza’s government media office also accused Israel of failing to meet its obligations regarding humanitarian aid and fuel under a ceasefire agreement. Israel has rejected accusations that it is deliberately restricting aid and blamed Hamas for the humanitarian situation in the territory.
The reported halt in diesel deliveries is placing additional pressure on Gaza’s healthcare system, which has been severely damaged by the war. According to Gaza health authorities, more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 174,000 injured since the conflict began in October 2023. The figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
