Gaza Herald – Gaza’s health system is on the brink of total collapse as Israeli restrictions on the entry of medical supplies and spare parts continue to cripple hospitals, laboratories, and emergency services, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
The ministry warned that nearly 70% of ambulance vehicles have been forced out of service because spare parts have been blocked from entering the territory. Officials said no diesel-powered ambulances have been allowed into Gaza since the Israeli genocide began nearly three years ago, severely limiting emergency response capabilities.
Laboratory services have also been hit hard, with the ministry reporting an 87% shortage of laboratory materials, forcing many essential diagnostic tests to stop. Medical staff say the lack of testing equipment is undermining doctors’ ability to diagnose and treat both wounded patients and those suffering from chronic illnesses.
The crisis has extended beyond emergency care to the most basic humanitarian needs. Health officials warned that the supply of burial shrouds is expected to run out within a day, raising fears that even the killed may soon be buried without adequate funeral provisions as shortages continue to worsen.
According to Gaza health authorities, repeated appeals to international organizations for urgent medical assistance have yet to produce the level of intervention needed to prevent further deterioration. Medical workers say the collapse of essential services is leaving hospitals unable to adequately care for either the living or the dead.
The health sector had already been weakened by years of blockade before the current war. Since then, Israeli military attacks have devastated medical infrastructure, with health officials reporting that more than 94% of Gaza’s hospitals have been damaged or destroyed, including Al-Shifa Hospital, once the enclave’s largest medical complex. Authorities also report the destruction of 180 ambulances, alongside heavy losses among healthcare workers through killings, injuries, kidnappings, displacement, and missing personnel, further deepening the collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system.
