Gaza Herald – The Ministry of Health has warned that the transportation and ambulance system in the Gaza Strip is approaching “complete paralysis” due to a worsening operational crisis threatening the continuity of medical services.
The ministry called for urgent international intervention to secure essential operational supplies and provide new ambulance vehicles, as risks facing patients and healthcare workers continue to escalate.
During a press conference, the ministry said that the ongoing Israeli restrictions on the entry of tires, batteries, spare parts, and oils represent a direct threat to the emergency medical system. It warned that the situation could have severe humanitarian consequences, potentially preventing thousands of patients and injured people from reaching hospitals in time.
The ministry urged the international community, United Nations agencies, and humanitarian organizations to act immediately to deliver spare parts and essential maintenance supplies, as well as urgently provide 60 diesel-powered ambulances to preserve what remains of emergency services.
70% of Medical Vehicles Out of Service
The ministry outlined the scale of the crisis, stating that 70% of its vehicles have been taken out of service due to the Israeli blockade, direct targeting, and the accumulation of mechanical failures, severely damaging the medical transportation infrastructure.
It reported that 39 out of 82 ambulances are completely out of service, while another 17 ambulances require urgent maintenance, at a time when the system is under immense daily pressure.
The ministry added that medical teams currently carry out approximately 5,000 patient and staff transport operations every week, in addition to 140 truck movements transporting medicines and medical supplies.
However, these operations are at risk of stopping as around 100 service vehicles have become inoperable, including 30 that are beyond repair, while another 80 vehicles are awaiting urgent maintenance.
Severe Shortages Threaten Emergency Response
The ministry said the crisis has also extended to severe shortages of operational materials, noting that it is unable to secure even 250 liters of engine oil per month for the remaining vehicles, while essential spare parts continue to be blocked by Israel from entering Gaza.
The restrictions have also affected contracted private transportation companies, which are now operating under Israeli attacks after months without access to necessary maintenance.
The Ministry of Health stressed that continued Israeli restrictions would lead to the effective collapse of Gaza’s ambulance and emergency response system.
It emphasized that healthcare workers are continuing to operate with extremely limited resources, but warned that denying them basic maintenance supplies and operational materials places patients’ lives at immediate risk and threatens the ability of the healthcare system to continue functioning.
