Gaza Herald _ The healthcare system in Gaza is facing mounting challenges as the majority of its ambulance and medical transport fleet has been forced out of operation, further straining emergency services amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Mahmoud Hammad, Director General of Administrative Affairs at Gaza’s Ministry of Health, said that approximately 70 percent of ambulances and medical transport vehicles across the Gaza Strip are no longer functioning.
According to Hammad, many emergency vehicles were directly damaged or destroyed during the war, while others have gradually become inoperable due to accumulated mechanical failures and the inability to carry out necessary maintenance.
The situation has been worsened by a severe shortage of spare parts, which continues to threaten the operation of the remaining vehicles still in service. Health officials warn that the lack of maintenance supplies has made it increasingly difficult to keep emergency transport systems functioning at a time when medical needs remain overwhelming.
The shrinking ambulance fleet has placed additional pressure on Gaza’s already devastated healthcare sector, limiting the ability of medical teams to respond to emergencies, transport wounded civilians, and transfer patients between healthcare facilities.
Health authorities say the continued deterioration of emergency transportation services risks further undermining access to life-saving medical care for thousands of Palestinians across the Gaza Strip, where hospitals and health facilities continue to operate under extreme strain.
