Gaza Hospitals Face Dire Fuel Shortage as Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
Doctors are forced to share incubators among multiple babies while hospitals consider shutting down due to lack of fuel.
In a grim reminder of the dire situation in Gaza, doctors have been compelled to cram multiple babies into a single incubator as the enclave's hospitals face severe fuel shortages.
These shortages are forcing hospitals to ration services and potentially shut down vital departments, putting thousands of lives at risk.The United Nations has alerted the international community that the crisis is reaching a critical point.
With available fuel supplies dwindling and 'virtually no additional accessible stocks left,' the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warns of a sharp increase in deaths unless immediate, regular, and sufficient fuel shipments are allowed into Gaza by Israel.The current fuel shortages stem from an 11-week Israeli blockade on humanitarian aid earlier this year that pushed Gaza's population towards famine.
Although aid deliveries resumed in May, they remain insufficient to meet the scale of needs in the besieged territory.Doctors at Al-Ahli Hospital shared a distressing photo on social media of newborn babies sharing an incubator as they struggle with the healthcare system overwhelmed by the blockade and war.
Dr. Fadel Naim described the situation as 'a direct consequence of the relentless war on Gaza and the suffocating blockade,' emphasizing that no child should have to face such circumstances.Al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza is among those at risk of shutting down if fuel supplies are not restored within hours.
The hospital's director, Dr. Mohammad Abu Silmiya, stated that hundreds of patients, including 22 babies in incubators, are at immediate risk.The crisis extends beyond hospitals as fuel is essential for basic services like cooking, desalination, and wastewater management in Gaza.
Israel has historically restricted the entry of fuel under conflict circumstances, claiming it could be used by Hamas for weapons.Aid organizations like Doctors Without Borders (MSF) have called the situation an 'unprecedented humanitarian crisis' and urged for a ceasefire alongside increased humanitarian aid deliveries to prevent further catastrophe.The ongoing conflict and blockade are not only threatening healthcare services but also risking the lives of countless civilians trapped in the midst of war.
The international community's response remains critical as Gaza teeters on the edge of total collapse.
These shortages are forcing hospitals to ration services and potentially shut down vital departments, putting thousands of lives at risk.The United Nations has alerted the international community that the crisis is reaching a critical point.
With available fuel supplies dwindling and 'virtually no additional accessible stocks left,' the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warns of a sharp increase in deaths unless immediate, regular, and sufficient fuel shipments are allowed into Gaza by Israel.The current fuel shortages stem from an 11-week Israeli blockade on humanitarian aid earlier this year that pushed Gaza's population towards famine.
Although aid deliveries resumed in May, they remain insufficient to meet the scale of needs in the besieged territory.Doctors at Al-Ahli Hospital shared a distressing photo on social media of newborn babies sharing an incubator as they struggle with the healthcare system overwhelmed by the blockade and war.
Dr. Fadel Naim described the situation as 'a direct consequence of the relentless war on Gaza and the suffocating blockade,' emphasizing that no child should have to face such circumstances.Al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza is among those at risk of shutting down if fuel supplies are not restored within hours.
The hospital's director, Dr. Mohammad Abu Silmiya, stated that hundreds of patients, including 22 babies in incubators, are at immediate risk.The crisis extends beyond hospitals as fuel is essential for basic services like cooking, desalination, and wastewater management in Gaza.
Israel has historically restricted the entry of fuel under conflict circumstances, claiming it could be used by Hamas for weapons.Aid organizations like Doctors Without Borders (MSF) have called the situation an 'unprecedented humanitarian crisis' and urged for a ceasefire alongside increased humanitarian aid deliveries to prevent further catastrophe.The ongoing conflict and blockade are not only threatening healthcare services but also risking the lives of countless civilians trapped in the midst of war.
The international community's response remains critical as Gaza teeters on the edge of total collapse.
