By Anadolu staff
GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – The local authorities in Gaza on Friday said the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, the main hospital in central the Gaza Strip, is about to halt its health services due to running out of fuel.
"Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital is about to announce a halt to its medical and health services because of the lack of fuel," the Gaza-based government media office said in a statement.
It said that a quantity of fuel was supposed to be delivered to the hospital on Thursday, but the "procrastination from relevant bodies," – the office said without naming them – in bringing the fuel put the patients and children in a critical stage and their life in danger.
"We hold the concerned bodies responsible for this catastrophe or any death cases in the critical care units and the incubators," the statement also said.
The government media office earlier said electricity was cut off in the hospital due to a lack of fuel, warning of a "new humanitarian catastrophe."
Israel has bombarded the Gaza Strip from the air and land, imposed a siege and mounted a ground offensive in retaliation for a cross-border attack by Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7.
At least 23,708 Palestinians have been killed and 60,005 injured in the Israeli onslaught since then, according to Gaza's health authorities.
*Writing by Ahmed Asmar