DaysofPal—Two of the biggest hospitals in Gaza have sent out urgent warnings that they are in danger of completely collapsing because of fuel shortages brought on by Israel’s continuous siege. Without immediate fuel access, doctors say the hospitals will become “silent graveyards,” as intensive care units, oxygen stations, and operating rooms begin to shut down.
At al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, the largest medical facility in the territory, Director Muhammad Abu Salmiyah warned that over 100 premature babies and 350 dialysis patients are at imminent risk. “A hospital without oxygen is no longer a hospital,” he said, noting that the dialysis unit has already been shut down to conserve power for the ICU and surgical theaters.
In Khan Younis, the Nasser Medical Complex echoed the alarm. “Doctors have entered the battle to save lives in a race against time, death, and darkness,” the hospital said in a statement. A hospital spokesperson said they need 4,500 liters of fuel per day but have only 3,000 remaining—enough for just 24 hours. Surgeries are now being performed without electricity or air conditioning, increasing the risk of deadly infections.
Israel’s 21-month military campaign has already destroyed Gaza’s health system, and it is in complete collapse. More than 600 attacks on health facilities have been recorded, and only 19 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals remain partially functional. Over 1,500 healthcare workers have been killed, and nearly all hospitals have sustained damage.
Fuel supplies, essential for running hospital generators, ambulances, and water systems, have been blocked from entering Gaza for over four months. The UN warns that the minimal fuel left is being rationed for critical care but will soon run out entirely.
Hundreds of people, including dozens of babies and dialysis patients, could perish in the next few days if urgent fuel deliveries are not made, according to local doctors. Diseases such as meningitis are spreading rapidly in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions.
Israel’s blockade, intensified since March, has allowed limited food aid into Gaza, but fuel remains banned. The UN has urged Israel to allow urgent and regular deliveries to prevent a surge in preventable deaths.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, since the start of the conflict, more than 57,000 Palestinians have died and almost 137,000 have been injured.
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