GAZA, October 8, 2026 (WAFA) - Medical sources in the Gaza Strip today warned that the unprecedented deterioration of the health system, caused by the ongoing war and Israeli restrictions on the entry of medical supplies, has led to the suspension of treatment protocols and the deaths of hundreds of patients.
In a statement, the sources said hospitals across Gaza are facing an acute shortage of medicines, with 44% of essential medicines at zero stock, while 54% of medical consumables are unavailable. Vital supplies, including insulin pens, chemotherapy drugs, immunosuppressants for kidney transplant patients, and intravenous saline solutions, are also unavailable.
Regarding diagnostic and medical imaging services, the sources said 74% of imaging equipment has been lost, with the total number of devices falling from 415 before the war to just 120.
They said specialized services have completely stopped due to the absence of functioning equipment, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), fluoroscopy, and shock-wave lithotripsy. CT scanners have fallen from 18 to three, mammography units from 14 to five, and C-arm imaging systems used during surgeries from 31 to 11.
The sources warned that the continued collapse of the health system threatens the lives of thousands of patients and wounded people. They renewed calls for international organizations and UN agencies to intervene urgently to ensure the flow of medicines and medical supplies and provide diagnostic equipment to rehabilitate radiology departments and hospitals.
Gaza’s health system has been facing a comprehensive collapse due to direct Israeli attacks, the ongoing blockade, and worsening fuel shortages, which have forced the majority of hospitals and health centers out of service.
Medical teams are also facing severe difficulties in saving the lives of wounded and sick people, amid the spread of infectious diseases and worsening malnutrition among displaced Palestinians, as international and UN appeals continue for pressure to lift the blockade and allow urgent humanitarian and medical supplies into the Gaza Strip.
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