One of the main power generators at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis has ceased operating after essential oils required for its function ran out, further straining an already overwhelmed healthcare system. The facility, among the largest in Gaza, is now relying on smaller backup generators to maintain electricity in critical units, though only for limited hours each day, according to health officials.

Medical teams have been forced to ration electricity, prioritising intensive care and emergency departments while other services face intermittent shutdowns. These contingency measures, officials stress, are neither sustainable nor sufficient, adding operational pressure to hospitals already struggling to treat large numbers of wounded patients amid dwindling resources.

Warnings from across Gaza’s health sector indicate that the situation is approaching a breaking point. Shortages of fuel, spare parts, and essential medical supplies continue to deepen, raising the risk that even emergency power provision could soon collapse entirely. Previous alerts from hospital administrators have pointed to the possibility of a near-total shutdown of medical services if conditions persist.

The wider healthcare infrastructure has been severely degraded over the course of the genocidal war, with a significant number of clinics destroyed or rendered non-functional. Power systems, oxygen facilities, and generators have been widely damaged, limiting hospitals’ ability to operate safely and consistently. At the same time, restrictions on the entry of aid have compounded shortages, leaving facilities dependent on fragile and improvised solutions.

As displacement continues and living conditions deteriorate, demand for medical care is rising sharply while the system’s capacity continues to shrink. Health authorities warn that without immediate and sustained access to fuel and supplies, the sector may face an unprecedented collapse in its ability to deliver even basic treatment.