Gaza Health Ministry warns of hospital shutdown due to fuel shortage

By Abdul Salam Fayez

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) - The Gaza Health Ministry warned again on Thursday about the imminent shutdown of services at the Shuhada al-Aqsa Hospital in the central part of the territory due to shortage of fuel.

According to the ministry’s statement, the facility's generators are expected to halt operations within three hours from the time of announcement at 16:00 GMT.

It underscored the severity of the situation, saying that patients, individuals with injuries and premature infants are facing a life-threatening situation within the hospital premises.

Earlier in the day, Khalil Al-Daqran, the spokesperson for the hospital, said: “In two hours’ time, the hospital will be forced to discontinue operations due to the exhaustion of the fuel required to run the electrical generators, thereby endangering the lives of patients and injured individuals.”

“Despite our urgent pleas for fuel supplies over the past few days, our requests have been unheeded,” he said.

The spokesperson explained that the hospital received a fuel supply of 3,000 liters on Wednesday, which is adequate to keep the hospital operational for less than 24 hours only. The daily requirement is approximately 5,000 liters of fuel, he added.

He said the hospital accommodates over 600 patients and wounded individuals, providing services to around 650 patients with kidney failure.​​​​​​​

Israel has killed more than 35,800 Palestinians in Gaza since a cross-border attack by Hamas last October. The military campaign has leveled much of the territory, and triggered a famine in certain areas.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio