Gaza’s already fragile health system is facing total collapse, with thousands of patients at risk of death or permanent disability as Israel continues to block the entry of essential medical supplies, according to senior Palestinian health officials.

The director-general of Gaza’s Ministry of Health, Munir al-Barsh, warned that hospitals across the besieged enclave are operating under “tragic and horrific” conditions, unable to provide even basic life-saving care due to severe shortages of medicines, equipment, electricity, and fuel.

Hospitals Overwhelmed Amid Severe Shortages

Speaking to Al Jazeera on Tuesday, al-Barsh said Israel’s continued restrictions on medical aid were directly preventing doctors from responding to emergency cases, surgeries, and chronic illnesses.

He said nearly 75 percent of essential medical supplies are currently unavailable in Gaza, including:

• Surgical consumables
• Anaesthetics
• Intravenous solutions
• Gauze and wound-care materials
• Dialysis supplies

Frequent power outages and a lack of fuel for generators have further paralysed hospital operations, forcing doctors to delay procedures or make impossible decisions about which patients can be treated.

“This is the most dangerous health situation Gaza has faced in decades,” al-Barsh said, describing conditions unprecedented since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority more than 30 years ago.

Ceasefire Fails to Ease Medical Crisis

Despite a US-backed ceasefire agreement that took effect in October, Gaza’s Health Ministry says Israel continues to violate its commitments by blocking agreed quantities of medical aid trucks from entering the territory.

Doctors and humanitarian organisations have repeatedly warned that the failure to allow medical supplies into Gaza has deepened a long-running health emergency and placed countless lives in immediate danger.

Health System Devastated by Attacks

During more than two years of war, Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure has been systematically damaged. According to health officials:

• At least 125 health facilities have been damaged or destroyed
• 34 hospitals have been rendered partially or fully inoperable
• More than 1,700 health workers have been killed
• 95 Palestinian doctors and medical workers remain in Israeli detention, including 80 from Gaza

Medical staff say the loss of personnel, equipment, and facilities has crippled Gaza’s ability to cope with mass casualties and routine healthcare needs alike.

Thousands Await Treatment Outside Gaza

The crisis extends beyond those injured in attacks. Al-Barsh said thousands of patients with chronic and life-threatening conditions are deteriorating due to the lack of treatment options inside Gaza.

Among the most alarming cases:

• 4,000 glaucoma patients risk permanent blindness
• Nearly 40,000 displaced pregnant women face serious health risks
• Around 320,000 children under five are vulnerable to malnutrition

A system exists to transfer patients abroad for specialised treatment, but the process is slow and restrictive. Patients must be referred by doctors in Gaza, reviewed by the World Health Organization (WHO), and then cleared by Israeli authorities.

Patients Dying While Waiting for Approval

Al-Barsh said the referral process has become a deadly bottleneck.

• At least 1,156 patients have died while waiting for permission to travel
• Nearly 20,000 patients remain on waiting lists
• About 18,500 referrals have been approved by the WHO
• Roughly 3,700 patients are in critical condition
• Around 4,300 children are awaiting medical evacuation

“Patients are dying not because treatment does not exist, but because they are prevented from reaching it,” al-Barsh said.

Calls to Open Crossings Immediately

Gaza’s Health Ministry has urgently called on Israel to open border crossings immediately to allow the entry of medical supplies, fuel, and humanitarian aid, and to permit the transfer of critically ill patients for treatment abroad.

Health officials warn that any further delay will cost more lives, particularly among children, pregnant women, and patients with chronic illnesses.

Mounting Humanitarian Toll

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks on Gaza have killed approximately 71,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 171,000, according to health authorities. The continuing blockade, they say, has transformed survivable injuries and treatable conditions into fatal ones.

Humanitarian organisations continue to warn that without unrestricted access to medical aid, Gaza’s healthcare system may soon cease functioning entirely.