The health sector in Gaza is facing one of its most severe crises, with a sharp decline in the operational capacity of hospitals, laboratories, and ambulance services. This comes amidst ongoing restrictions on the entry of fuel, medicines, medical supplies, and spare parts.
The crisis is now impacting the health system’s ability to perform its basic functions, from rescuing the injured and diagnosing patients to transporting emergency cases and preserving the bodies of the deceased.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza warns that the continued prevention or obstruction of the entry of essential supplies threatens to shut down vital sectors. The lack of spare parts for ambulances has rendered a large percentage of vehicles inoperable, while the increasing shortage of laboratory materials has disrupted tests that doctors rely on to diagnose illnesses and injuries.
These developments are occurring at a time when medical facilities are already operating under immense pressure due to the large numbers of patients, wounded, and displaced persons.
The current crisis is compounded by the fragility of the health sector, which was already weakened before the war by years of blockade, resource shortages, and inadequate infrastructure. With the expansion of the war and the damage inflicted on health facilities, personnel, and medical vehicles, the health system’s capacity to respond has been significantly diminished. While medical needs are increasing, available resources are dwindling, leaving patients and the wounded facing escalating risks, especially those requiring complex surgeries or specialized treatment outside the Gaza Strip.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza says the spare parts shortage is threatening ambulance services with near-total collapse. According to ministry officials, approximately 70% of ambulances are out of service due to the unavailability of necessary parts for maintenance and repairs, and no new fuel-powered ambulances have entered service since the start of the war.
This means that even a minor malfunction could escalate into a prolonged operational problem, given the difficulty of procuring replacement vehicles capable of reaching affected areas and transporting patients and the wounded.
