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
Anadolu: Erdogan issues presidential decree to freeze assets of dozens of Iranian entities linked to Iran’s nuclear program
Two killed in Manchester synagogue attack: UK police
Global Sumud Flotilla: We call for immediate international intervention to ensure the safety of the fleet's volunteers and secure their prompt release
Global Sumud Flotilla: More than 443 volunteers from 47 countries are being illegally detained after the fleet was seized by "Israel"
Global Sumud Flotilla: Israeli occupation forces intercepted the peaceful convoy’s ships in international waters and abducted hundreds of volunteers
Madi to Al Mayadeen: Preparations are underway to organize protests in Swiss cities in solidarity with the Sumud Flotilla
Spokeswoman for the Swiss ship of the Sumud Flotilla, Rania Madi, to Al Mayadeen: Six Swiss ships participating in the fleet confirmed they came under an Israeli attack
Media platforms: The navigational data of the Mikeno ship show it entering Gaza’s territorial waters, now just 9 nautical miles from the enclave
The first ship has reached Gaza’s territorial waters despite Israeli attempts to intercept it
The Omar Al-Mukhtar ship of the Global Sumud Flotilla is currently facing communication jamming, and the occupation’s military boats are approaching it. Contact with the vessel has been cut off.

Gaza health system on the brink: Critical shortages, rising death toll

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Al Mayadeen English
  • 19 Aug 2025 17:03
  • 1 Shares
4 Min Read

Gaza's severe health crisis reaches extremes with critical lab shortages, rising famine deaths, and over 62,000 killed amid the unabated Israeli aggression.

Listen
  • x
  • A Palestinian child collects humanitarian aid from the United Arab Emirates, airdropped by parachutes into Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (AP)
    A Palestinian child collects humanitarian aid from the United Arab Emirates, airdropped by parachutes into Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (AP)

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza has issued a stark warning regarding the collapse of laboratory services and blood banks across the Strip, as the effects of the ongoing Israeli aggression continue to deepen the humanitarian crisis.

According to the ministry, nearly half (49%) of all laboratory testing materials are completely out of stock, while 60.3% of the remaining essential lab materials are expected to be depleted within a month. Similarly, 51.4% of laboratory consumables and supplies are projected to run out in the same time frame. This poses a serious threat to the health infrastructure, particularly as demand for testing continues to rise.

Several critical diagnostic procedures in operating rooms and intensive care units have already been halted or are on the verge of suspension due to the unavailability of necessary resources. Notably, the materials used to test blood drug levels in post-operative patients, particularly those who have undergone kidney or liver transplants, have completely run out.

The CBC test, one of the most basic and essential blood tests conducted daily in health facilities, is also nearing depletion, with the remaining stock sufficient for only a few days. Furthermore, materials required to ensure the safety of blood transfusions, used to test for viruses such as HBsAg, HCV, and HIV, are critically low and will last just a few more days, raising the alarming possibility of unsafe blood being administered to patients.

Supplies for blood gas tests, which are vital for assessing respiratory and metabolic function in critical cases, are also expected to be exhausted within days. In addition, 42% of chemical testing materials, including those for Bilirubin and Ammonia levels, are close to running out.

The situation is further compounded by a severe shortage in blood bags and transfusion kits, with reserves expected to last less than a month. Compounding the crisis, all immunological testing and core lab services, including newborn screenings and PCR tests, have been suspended since the beginning of the war.

The ministry also reported that approximately 45% of laboratory equipment has been either damaged or destroyed, leaving many machines inoperable. These urgently require spare parts and technical maintenance to be brought back into service.

Related News

Israeli war machine kills 77 Palestinians in Gaza in 24 hours

Italian union declares general strike over attack on Gaza aid flotilla

Over 60 martyred in 24 hours

In the past 24 hours alone, 60 martyrs, including two recovered from under the rubble, and 343 injuries were recorded at hospitals across Gaza.

Many victims remain trapped beneath the rubble or on the streets, unreachable due to the inability of ambulance and civil defense teams to access affected areas.

Since October 7, 2023, the aggression has claimed the lives of 62,064 people and injured 156,573 others.

Since the collapse of the ceasefire on March 18, 2025, the number of martyrs has reached 10,518, with 44,532 injuries documented.

266 died of starvation

Among the martyrs of what the ministry refers to as the “bread massacres,” 31 were killed and 197 were injured in the last 24 hours alone. This brings the total number of such martyrs to 1,996, with over 14,898 injured.

Furthermore, three deaths due to famine and malnutrition were recorded in the past day, raising the total famine-related deaths to 266, including 112 children.

It is worth noting that this comes after Hamas and other Palestinian Resistance factions accepted a ceasefire proposal brokered by Egyptian and Qatari mediators, a senior Palestinian official told Al Mayadeen.

Read more: Bodies pile up in Gaza as Israeli strikes kill children, aid seekers

  • Gaza Strip
  • Gaza death toll
  • war on Gaza
  • Palestine
  • Israeli aggression
  • Starvation in Gaza
  • Israel
  • Israeli occupation forces
  • Gaza genocide
  • Israeli occupation
  • Gaza
  • famine in Gaza
War on Gaza

War on Gaza

Most Read

Last photo showing Martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Martyr Hajj Hassan in a Resistance operations room, Beirut's southern suburb, Lebanon, days before their martyrdom (Al Mayadeen)

In heart of battle: Al Mayadeen shares last photo of Sayyed Nasrallah

  • Politics
  • 27 Sep 2025
Hamas fighters stand in formation ahead of a ceremony to hand over Israeli captives to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, Gaza Strip, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP)

Hamas reviews Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan as PIJ rejects

  • Palestine
  • 30 Sep 2025
Iraq at a crossroads: A new war front?

Iraq at a crossroads: A new war front?

  • West Asia
  • 30 Sep 2025
Trump’s 21-point Gaza plan vs Netanyahu’s demand for Hamas defeat

Trump vows 'something special' in ME; Israeli delegation in chaos

  • US & Canada
  • 28 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
From protests to sanctions: Europe’s shift away from 'Israel'
Politics

From protests to sanctions: Europe's shift away from 'Israel'

US arms sale to Nigeria raises human rights concerns.
Politics

US arms sale to Nigeria raises human rights concerns: RS

BBC exposé of Met Police racism and misogyny prompts Khan outrage
Politics

BBC exposé of Met Police 'racism', 'misogyny' prompts Khan outrage

Trump signs order pledging US defense of Qatar after Israeli strike.
Politics

Trump signs order pledging US defense of Qatar after Israeli strike

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