The worsening electricity crisis in the Gaza Strip has forced\nhospitals to operate under emergency conditions amidst the ongoing\nIsraeli military offensive. Prolonged power outages are disrupting\nhealthcare services, delaying medical operations, and threatening the\nsafety of patients who rely on life-support equipment.<\/p>\n
One of the victims is Omar Abu Atwa, a 30-year-old from central Gaza\nwho was injured by an explosion while walking home from work last month.\nHe was rushed to the Martyr Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir el-Balah for\ntreatment. However, while waiting for an X-ray examination, the power\nsuddenly cut out, rendering the X-ray machine and most medical equipment\nunusable. After waiting for about six hours without any certainty, Omar\neventually went home without receiving a proper examination or adequate\ntreatment.<\/p>\n
\u2018I waited for hours inside the hospital hoping the electricity would\ncome back on and the medical equipment would start working again. During\nthat time, I was in pain and anxious because I did not know the nature\nof my injury or whether my condition required immediate medical\nintervention,\u2019 Omar said, as quoted by Al Jazeera on Saturday\n(11\/7\/2026). He stated that many other patients, including children, the\nelderly, and those wounded in attacks, experienced similar conditions.\nThey were forced to wait for hours just to get a basic examination\nbecause the hospital facilities could not function normally.<\/p>\n
The damage to Gaza\u2019s health sector has continued to worsen since the\nstart of the Israeli offensive on 7 October 2023. Bombardment has\ndestroyed or rendered inoperable at least 38 hospitals and 96 primary\nhealthcare centres. Additionally, around 90 per cent of Gaza\u2019s\nelectricity network is reported to be damaged, leaving hospitals\nentirely dependent on power generators. However, the ongoing blockade\nhas severely limited fuel supplies, while spare parts and engine oil are\nalso difficult to obtain. As a result, the generators, which are the\nsole source of electricity, must work non-stop beyond their normal\ncapacity, making them prone to breakdowns.<\/p>\n
This situation unfolds as Israeli air strikes continue almost daily.\nSince the implementation of what was termed a ceasefire in October 2025,\nat least 1,092 people have been reported killed and 3,507 others\ninjured. Most of the main generators at the Martyr Al-Aqsa Hospital\nreportedly stopped operating in early May 2026. The hospital now relies\nsolely on backup generators and solar energy with very limited capacity,\nforcing a reduction in several medical services.<\/p>\n
Surgeon Omar al-Ashtal said the unstable power supply severely\ndisrupts medical services, particularly in the operating theatres. \u2018What\nwe are witnessing today is not just a shortage of electricity, but a\ncumulative crisis involving outdated generators, fuel shortages, and a\nlack of spare parts needed for maintenance,\u2019 al-Ashtal said. \u2018The\ncontinuation of this situation threatens the hospital\u2019s ability to\nrespond to emergencies and increases the suffering of patients waiting\nfor medical care and assistance.\u2019<\/p>\n
The intensive care unit, operating rooms, anaesthesia rooms, and\nneonatal care units are the most affected. Power disruptions in these\nunits can endanger patient safety, especially for infants dependent on\nincubators. The crisis has also spread to hospital administrative\nservices, where power and internet disruptions hamper the recording of\npatient medical records, case monitoring, and inter-departmental\ncoordination.<\/p>\n
Nurse Hamza Nawas said medical staff continue to strive to provide\nthe best service despite being under severe pressure. \u2018We live under\npressure every day because of the electricity crisis. At night, the\nsituation becomes more difficult, especially when temperatures rise and\nseveral electrical services are disrupted again. We continue to try to\nprovide care, but the current conditions make the work much harder,\u2019 he\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Omar al-Ghariz, an energy systems engineer at the Martyr\nAl-Aqsa Hospital, revealed that the hospital\u2019s generators have been\nrunning continuously for months with a load exceeding normal capacity.\n\u2018This has caused significant wear and tear on various generator\ncomponents and increased the frequency of technical breakdowns,\u2019 he\nsaid. According to him, the shortage of fuel and spare parts forces the\ntechnical team to carry out only temporary repairs to keep the\ngenerators running. He warned that the failure of a single generator or\nthe depletion of fuel supplies could halt vital services at the\nhospital. \u2018Therefore, we urgently need new generators, spare parts, and\ntechnical support to ensure the continuity of the hospital\u2019s\noperations,\u2019 he said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/electricity-crisis-paralyses-gaza-hospitals-delaying-surgeries-and-endangering-lives-1783785103", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }