Gaza health system hits worst drug shortage in two years

• Gaza’s health system records its worst medicine shortage in two years, officials say.
• Health facilities continue repairs during 'Israel’s' assault despite severe supply restrictions.

Gaza’s health sector is experiencing its most severe medicine shortage in two years, deepening an already catastrophic humanitarian situation caused by 'Israel’s' ongoing aggression, according to the Ministry of Health.

Yousef Abu al-Rish, undersecretary of the ministry in Gaza, said the health system is operating under “extraordinary and complex challenges”, with critical deficits in essential medicines and medical consumables.

Speaking during a ceremony to mark the rehabilitation and restoration of a building at al-Shifa Medical Complex, Abu al-Rish said the shortage has reached an unprecedented level. He warned that hospitals and clinics are struggling to meet even basic patient needs as stocks of life-saving drugs continue to run out.

Read more: 16 deaths in Gaza including three children due to cold, collapsed buildings: UNRWA report

Restrictions blamed for indirect killing

Abu al-Rish attributed the worsening crisis to 'Israel’s' continued prevention of medical supplies and specialized medical delegations from entering the Gaza Strip.

He said these restrictions amount to indirect killing, as patients with chronic illnesses, war injuries, and life-threatening conditions are denied timely and adequate treatment.

“The lack of medicines and specialized care means patients are paying with their lives”, Abu al-Rish said, stressing that the health sector is being targeted not only through direct attacks, but also through systematic deprivation.

Medical officials have repeatedly warned that shortages affect antibiotics, cancer treatments, dialysis supplies, anesthesia, and medicines for chronic diseases, placing thousands of patients at daily risk.

Health workers persist amid devastation

Despite the scale of destruction, Abu al-Rish said Gaza continues to present “living models of the Palestinian ability to create life under rubble”.

He noted that rehabilitation and maintenance work inside health facilities continued throughout 'Israeli' war on Gaza, even during periods of intense bombardment and siege.

Technical teams and medical staff carried out emergency repairs, reopened damaged departments, and improvised solutions to keep services running, often with limited resources and under constant threat, according to the ministry.

Recovery plan under siege

Abu al-Rish emphasized that the core message of the Ministry of Health is insistence on continuing to provide care, regardless of conditions on the ground.

He said the ministry has launched a comprehensive health recovery plan aimed at rehabilitating facilities destroyed by 'Israel', restoring damaged infrastructure, and rebuilding essential services.

However, he warned that recovery efforts remain severely constrained without the unrestricted entry of medicines, equipment, fuel, and specialized medical teams.

Health officials say the coming weeks will be critical, as further delays in supply access could push the system closer to collapse, with civilians, including wounded patients and martyrs’ families, bearing the heaviest cost.