Laboratories at Nasser Medical Complex in southern Gaza are facing the prospect of shutting down entirely as essential equipment and supplies remain blocked from entering the territory. The situation is placing increasing strain on already overwhelmed medical services, with doctors warning that critical diagnostic capabilities could soon cease, endangering patients in urgent need of care.

Medical staff inside the complex describe severe shortages affecting basic and life-saving tests, particularly in intensive care units where timely diagnostics are crucial. The lack of blood gas analysis, used to monitor critically ill patients, is said to be among the most pressing concerns. Without it, clinicians are left working with limited information, raising the risk of misdiagnosis and preventable deaths amid what many describe as a deepening genocidal war.

Laboratory officials also report dwindling stocks of essential materials, including testing reagents, spare parts and calibration tools required to ensure accurate results. Equipment used for routine blood counts and chemical analysis is operating under extreme conditions, often beyond its intended capacity, while the absence of maintenance components further compromises reliability.

Calls have been made for urgent international intervention to prevent a total breakdown of laboratory services. Health workers say no new equipment has entered Gaza since the escalation began, leaving ageing machines to shoulder an unsustainable workload. With most hospitals across the enclave either destroyed or severely damaged, the remaining facilities continue to function under immense pressure, struggling to provide even the most basic levels of care.