Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Lebanese Ministry of Health: One person was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a car in the town of Burj Qalawieh, south Lebanon.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The first ship of the Maghreb fleet delivering aid to break the siege on Gaza departs from the port of Gammarth in Tunisia.
Channel 12: Airspace closed at Ramon Airport due to fears of drone infiltration
IOF Spokesperson: Sirens sounded over an aircraft infiltration in the Bir Ora area, and details are being examined
Drone infiltration sirens sound north of the Gulf of Aqaba
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out five extremely violent raids on the western areas of Gaza City
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out major bombings in the Gaza Strip, the most violent since October 7
Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree: The missile force carried out a major operation using the Palestine 2 ballistic hypersonic missile, hitting several targets in occupied Yafa.
Sirens sound in large areas of occupied Palestine after a missile launch from Yemen was detected
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: 14 martyrs arrive at al-Shifa Hospital following Israeli massacre of al-Sultan Family north of Gaza.

Living in agony: 'Israel' forbids anesthetics in Gaza

  • By Youssef Fares
  • Source: Al Mayadeen Net
  • 11 Mar 2024 12:26
  • 12 Shares
4 Min Read

Since the start of the war on Gaza, the Israeli occupation has barred anesthetics, crutches, and dates from entering the Strip. Even medical equipment such as oxygen cylinders, ventilators, and water filtration systems have also been prohibited.

  • x
  • A child is given treatment in a Gaza hospital after being injured in an Israeli airstrike. (Al Mayadeen Net)
    A child is given treatment in a Gaza hospital after being injured in an Israeli airstrike. (Al Mayadeen Net) 

For the first time, we found ourselves trying backstreet methods to get a single tablet of Zaldiar, a potent prescription pain relief drug that can only be obtained from licensed establishments or government institutions. 

Due to increased demand, the drug was nowhere to be found in Gaza, making sleep nigh impossible for Um Raed, an advanced-stage cancer patient.

Doctors have informed her son that all he can do for her is give her powerful analgesics to ease her pain until she passes away. Suleiman tells Al Mayadeen Net, “Before the war, all kinds of analgesics were available. A month later, and as the injuries grew, especially among patients who had undergone amputations, so did the demand, and getting a single tablet became a days-long effort. We now have to watch our cancer-stricken mother die 100 deaths each night.”

Related News

Israeli regime faces growing isolation over Qatar strike: Reports

Israeli report shows 20,000 soldiers wounded, rising care crisis

In the past three months, the six brothers worked diligently to provide any kind of pain relief medicine for their mother. Suleiman described their ordeal, saying, “Not one stone was left unturned. We’ve tried all private pharmacies and black market dealers. We paid $30 for a single tablet, then $300 for a strip, until we couldn’t afford it anymore. My mother’s gone now. We buried her in the street opposite where we’re staying now… We will never forgive ourselves for every second of pain she had to endure.”

A medical source working at Kamal Adwan Hospital, northern Gaza, told Al Mayadeen Net, “Since the beginning of the war, no potent analgesic was allowed into Gaza on aid trucks, such as Morphine, Tramadol, Zaldiar, Lyrica, and even Cetamol and Paracetamol. The Health Ministry no longer has any of these pain relief drugs, and they can no longer be found in companies and private pharmacies. In a single month, demand grew by 1000%. Thousands of injured need them for pain relief, stocks were not replenished, and the families of the wounded have to suffer to procure these drugs for them. Walking through the hospital’s wards, you can hear the patients’ constant screams and moans. Under normal circumstances, they would’ve been given doses of painkillers to soothe their suffering.”

On the street, Palestinians in Gaza have grown accustomed to the sight of the amputees being carried by their families, says Abou Imad, seen walking around carrying his friend Bilal, who had lost both of his legs. “He was discharged from the hospital two months after his injury. We asked for a wheelchair, but we were told they couldn’t spare any from the hospital, where they were already scarce. So we went to associations specialized in giving out medical equipment for the injured, to no avail as well. All such organizations have either been bombed or are no longer in service for the time being.”

According to a managerial source in a private medical equipment company, durable medical equipment, meant to improve the patients’ quality of life after they are discharged from the hospital, has also not entered the Strip since the onset of the war. The source tells Al Mayadeen Net, “Israel has bombed warehouses and stocks belonging to medical supply companies. We’re talking here about the destruction of 15 pharmacies and warehouses belonging to Zant Medical, the largest company and biggest importer of this equipment. The company and all of its branches are no longer operational, and its storehouses were looted because of the lack of security. Finding crutches or a wheelchair (electric or regular) at this time is extremely difficult, especially with the large number of injuries and the absence of import.”

It is noteworthy that US broadcaster CNN released an investigation showing how “Israel” has, since the start of the war, prevented anesthetics, crutches, and dates from entering Gaza and has also listed oxygen cylinders and water filtration systems under the "no entry" category for humanitarian aid trucks.

  • Gaza Strip
  • Operation Al-Aqsa Flood
  • Israel
  • Gaza genocide
  • Palestine
  • Gaza
  • Kamal Adwan Hospital
  • anesthesia
  • Medicine shortage
War on Gaza

War on Gaza

Most Read

The damaged building in the Katara neighborhood, Doha, Qatar, September 9, 2025 (Social media)

Hamas delegation survives Israeli assassination attempt in Qatar

  • Politics
  • 9 Sep 2025
Israeli police and rescue teams respond at the scene of a shooting attack where several people killed and injured in Jerusalem, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025 (AP)

Al-Quds shooting: 7 settlers killed, several critically injured

  • Politics
  • 8 Sep 2025
Pro-"Israel" conservative Charlie Kirk shot during Utah speech

Pro-'Israel' far-right Charlie Kirk shot dead during Utah speech

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza.

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza

  • Politics
  • 12 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
People protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, in New York, on Friday, September 27, 2024 (AP)
Politics

'Israel' stops unfunded diplomacy ahead of UN, October 7 memorial

An Israeli Air Force fighter jet releases flares over the Gaza Strip, is seen from southern occupied Palestine, Thursday, May 8, 2025 (AP)
Politics

OIC summit draft: Israeli attack on Qatar risks normalization

People shout slogans and hold Palestinian flags while protesting during the twenty-first stage of La Vuelta cycling race from Alalpardo to Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. (AP)
Sports

Pro-Palestine protests force abrupt end to Vuelta a España finale

Damage is seen after an Israeli strike targeted a compound that hosted Hamas' political leadership in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday, September 10, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Israeli regime faces growing isolation over Qatar strike: Reports

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS