AhlulBayt News Agency: The dialysis unit at Gaza City’s Shifa Medical Complex has completely shut down due to a lack of fuel needed to power its generators. Around 350 patients who rely on dialysis treatment are now facing life-threatening conditions.
Dr. Muhammad Abu Hassira, a specialist in nephrology and internal medicine, confirmed the closure on Tuesday. He said patients arrived for treatment but were sent home, a decision with serious health consequences.
This marks the first full shutdown of the dialysis ward since the start of the Israeli assault on Gaza. Although the hospital remains partially operational, the dialysis machines cannot function without fuel.
Even before this shutdown, patients faced frequent disruptions due to ongoing challenges. By July 2024, Gaza had lost nearly all of its water production capacity, making it difficult to obtain clean water for dialysis.
The hospital also reported that ICU patients are in immediate danger, as life-saving equipment is failing due to the fuel shortage. International organizations have informed the hospital that Israel is blocking fuel entry into Gaza.
With no fuel alternatives, the hospital is nearing total collapse. UN agencies have warned that essential services could shut down within hours if fuel is not delivered urgently.
Olga Cherevko from the UN’s OCHA stated that Gaza is on the brink of a catastrophic breakdown in medical services unless fuel is restored immediately.
Since October 2023, over 400 kidney patients in Gaza have died due to war-related conditions and restrictions. The collapse of the healthcare system is attributed to Israeli attacks on hospitals, blockades on medicine, and cuts to electricity, food, and water.
Thousands of chronically ill patients, including those with kidney failure, are now facing a slow and painful death amid the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza.
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