Gaza hospitals crippled by electricity crisis, delaying surgeries and threatening lives

Hospitals in the Gaza Strip are facing a critical electricity crisis, forcing them to operate in emergency mode amidst the ongoing Israeli military offensive. The prolonged power outages are severely disrupting essential healthcare services, leading to delayed surgeries and endangering the lives of patients reliant on life-support equipment.

Omar Abu Atwa, a 30-year-old resident, experienced the dire consequences firsthand when he sought treatment for injuries sustained from an explosion. Upon arrival at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, a sudden power outage rendered the X-ray machine and most medical equipment unusable. After a six-hour wait with no certainty of when power would be restored, Omar was sent home without adequate examination or treatment, experiencing pain and anxiety.

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I waited for hours in the hospital hoping the electricity would come back on and the medical equipment would start working again. During that time, I was in pain and anxious because I didn't know the type of my injury or if my condition required immediate medical intervention.

This situation is not isolated. Many other patients, including children, the elderly, and those injured in attacks, face similar lengthy waits for basic examinations due to the non-functional hospital facilities. The healthcare sector in Gaza has been deteriorating since the Israeli offensive began on October 7, 2023, with extensive damage to hospitals and primary health centers.

Compounding the problem, approximately 90 percent of Gaza's electricity network is damaged, making hospitals entirely dependent on generators. However, the ongoing blockade severely limits fuel supplies, spare parts, and engine oil. This forces generators to operate beyond their normal capacity, increasing their vulnerability to breakdowns. The main generators at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital reportedly stopped functioning in early May 2026, leaving the facility to rely on limited backup generators and solar power, forcing a reduction in medical services.

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What we are witnessing today is not just a shortage of electricity, but a cumulative crisis that includes obsolete generators, fuel shortages, and...