Gaza Health Ministry warns hospital generators may shut down

Gaza’s Health Ministry warned Thursday that hospital electricity generators could stop working after stocks of operating oil were completely exhausted amid Israel's continued blockade of the enclave. The ministry said in a statement that engineering teams are working under difficult conditions to monitor the generators and keep electricity supply to critical hospital departments. “Generators have been running for thousands of continuous hours without sufficient oil or maintenance, bringing them to the final point of mechanical danger,” the ministry said. “If generator engines burn out because of the lack of oil, they could become permanently unusable even if supplies become available later,” it warned. The ministry renewed its call for urgent intervention, saying the issue was no longer limited to securing operating oil but also to protecting the remaining generators from complete failure. On Wednesday, the ministry said stocks of oil needed to operate hospital generators had run out, adding that more than 2,500 liters are urgently needed each month to prevent the remaining generators from collapsing amid Israeli restrictions on the entry of operating and maintenance supplies. The ministry warned that the continuing shortage threatens the shutdown of life-saving medical departments. In September, it said 70% of hospital generators had already gone out of service because of shortages of fuel, oil and spare parts caused by the Israeli blockade. Hospitals in Gaza have relied heavily on generators to power operating rooms, intensive care units, neonatal incubators, ventilators and dialysis machines since Israel cut electricity supplies to the enclave in October 2023. Gaza’s sole power plant stopped operating on Oct. 11, 2023, after running out of fuel, causing a complete electricity blackout, while power lines, cables and distribution networks suffered widespread destruction during the war. Damage to the electricity network has prevented hospitals from reconnecting to the grid, forcing them to depend on generators for prolonged periods. The electricity crisis has continued despite a ceasefire agreement in effect since Oct. 10, 2025, amid continued Israeli restrictions on supplies needed to rehabilitate Gaza’s health system.