A critical shortage of specialised medical materials is threatening the treatment of severe facial burns in Gaza, as humanitarian doctors warn that essential supplies are close to exhaustion amid the ongoing genocidal war. The international organisation Médecins Sans Frontières has reported that it is on the verge of running out of 3D printing filament used to produce therapeutic masks for burn victims.

The group has been unable to bring new supplies into Gaza since Israeli authorities revoked its operating licence, alongside dozens of other non-governmental organisations, in December 2025. As a result, its clinic in Gaza City is now working under severe constraints while continuing to treat a growing number of patients suffering from complex facial injuries.

Doctors at the facility are currently caring for dozens of cases, the majority of whom are children. These patients require highly specialised pressure masks to prevent long-term disfigurement and disability. Such masks, produced using 3D printing technology, apply constant pressure to healing burns, reducing the risk of severe scarring that can impair breathing, movement, and basic facial functions.

Since 2020, Médecins Sans Frontières has been the sole provider of these advanced therapeutic masks in Gaza, making the shortage particularly acute. The situation is further compounded by the near-total absence of functioning equipment, with only two operational 3D scanners remaining across the territory and restrictions preventing the entry of spare parts for printers.

As the genocidal war continues to strain an already fragile healthcare system, medical professionals warn that the inability to produce these masks could have irreversible consequences for patients, particularly children, whose recovery depends on timely and sustained treatment.