Hospitals in the Gaza Strip are on the verge of a complete shutdown within the next 48 hours due to a critical fuel shortage, the Palestinian Ministry of Health warned on Wednesday, raising alarms over the imminent collapse of the healthcare system. Dr. Khalil Al-Daqran, spokesperson for the ministry in Gaza, stated that the few remaining operational hospitals are struggling to function as fuel supplies dwindle. “We are facing a total breakdown of the health sector,” he said, citing Israeli restrictions on fuel deliveries and aid access. According to Al-Daqran, fuel is not delivered directly to hospitals but is stored by United Nations agencies and then distributed under Israeli supervision. Currently, Israeli forces are reportedly blocking these organizations from reaching fuel storage locations, threatening the continuity of medical services across the territory. Of Gaza’s 16 government hospitals, only five remain even partially operational, and just three — Al-Shifa, Al-Aqsa Martyrs, and Nasser hospitals — are still admitting patients. Even so, these facilities are functioning at minimal capacity. “Al-Shifa is operating at less than 20% of its normal capacity due to the severe shortages of fuel, medications, and essential supplies,” Al-Daqran said. He also noted that Israel has blocked the entry of medical aid and medications for over 90 days, even during declared ceasefires. As a result, more than 80% of Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure has collapsed. The pressure on medical staff has reached breaking point. Al-Daqran described a state of “total exhaustion” among healthcare workers, who have been working nonstop for more than 20 months. Many are receiving only 8% of their salaries and continue to work under extreme hardship. “Medical teams are operating under life-threatening conditions,” he said. “Over 1,800 healthcare workers have been killed, and more than 3,000 have been injured since the beginning of the war.” He also claimed that Israeli forces have deliberately targeted specialized doctors and shut down multiple hospitals, causing a significant loss in medical expertise. Many doctors have not left their hospitals in months, choosing to stay with their patients despite limited food, supplies, and even basic meals. “They left their families behind to keep saving lives,” Al-Daqran said, “in one of the harshest and most dangerous healthcare environments in the world.” The warning comes amid an ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, where escalating military operations, prolonged blockade measures, and the breakdown of critical infrastructure have left millions without access to essential services.