Gaza's Palestinian Health Ministry said on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, that 70% of electricity generators in the Strip's hospitals were out of service because of shortages of fuel, oil and spare parts, warning that the crisis threatened to shut down critical, life-saving departments.
Transport crisis puts pressure on staff
Zaher al-Wahidi, director of the ministry's Health Information Center, said the suspension of public transport companies and buses on 16 September had prevented hundreds of medical staff from reaching their workplaces, increasing pressure on staff who were present and weakening health facilities' ability to respond to emergencies.
Mahmoud Hammad, the ministry's director-general of administrative affairs, warned that the suspension or reduction of medical transport services could affect staff attendance, shift coverage and the operation of vital departments. He said the system transports more than 5,000 health-sector staff on about 99 buses operating across various routes.
Oil shortages threaten generator operations
Mazen al-Araishi, the ministry's director-general of engineering and maintenance, said on 13 September 2026 that the monthly requirement for electricity-generator oil reached 2500 liters, adding that a number of generators had stopped operating in previous days because oil, spare parts and sufficient quantities of fuel were unavailable.
Vital services under pressure
The crisis is intensifying pressure on emergency, intensive-care, surgery, maternity and pediatric departments, as well as diagnostic services and laboratories, all of which require a stable power supply and the continuous presence of staff. Health facilities are facing growing difficulties in maintaining their services amid ongoing Israeli restrictions on the entry of operational and maintenance supplies.
