Palestinian children injured in Israeli attacks on Al-Maghazi refugee camp brought to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al-Balah, Gaza on 5 November 2023. (Photo by Anadolu Agency)

Gaza officials have warned of an impending humanitarian and medical catastrophe in the territory, saying Israel is deliberately restricting the entry of vital medicines, medical equipment, and fuel, using healthcare as a weapon against civilians.

Ismail Al-Thawabteh, head of the Government Media Office in Gaza, said on Thursday the healthcare sector remains in a state of severe collapse even after a ceasefire - which began on October 10 - with acute shortages of medicines, anesthetics, and medical supplies.

He stated that due to the lack of anesthesia drugs and essential equipment, surgical operations in several hospitals have been partially or completely halted.

He warned that suspending surgeries places patients at serious risk of death or permanent disability.

Al-Thawabteh added that nearly 500,000 surgical procedures are currently on hold as Gaza`s healthcare system approaches total breakdown.

"According to Ministry of Health warnings, the situation is extremely critical and nearing complete paralysis," he said, noting that remaining hospitals are operating beyond capacity with limited fuel, staff shortages, and reduced operational capability.

Al-Thawabteh underlined that medical supplies entering Gaza meet less than 10 percent of actual needs and are consumed immediately upon arrival, without leading to any sustainable improvement in health conditions.

The Israelis, he noted, "ban the entry of vital medical equipment under false security pretexts. This policy amounts to using medicine and medical treatment as a weapon against civilians."

He called for immediate international intervention and the unconditional opening of all border crossings to save lives in Gaza.

In a related development, Zaher Al-Wahidi, head of the Drug Information Unit at Gaza`s Ministry of Health, said the overall shortage of medicines has reached 52 percent, while shortages of medical supplies stand at 71 percent.

"Many cancer patients are deprived of chemotherapy sessions and even strong pain relief," he said, adding that more than 300 cancer patients have died this year due to lack of medication, medical care, and delays in traveling abroad for treatment.

Al-Wahidi also reported that approximately 1,200 patients have died as a result of the continued closure of the Rafah crossing, emphasizing that limited supplies reaching the private sector and NGOs are insufficient to address the crisis, calling for unrestricted delivery of medicines directly to the Ministry of Health.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ahmed Mahna, director of Al-Awda Hospital in Gaza told Al Jazeera that the hospital requires 2,600 liters of fuel per day to maintain minimal operations, but current supplies fall far short of that level.

"If this situation continues, we will be forced to halt most services within hours," Mahna said, warning that failure to secure fuel immediately could lead to a "complex and catastrophic reality," directly threatening the lives of emergency and intensive care patients.

He added that while medical staff are making limited efforts to manage and relocate patients, these measures are temporary and inadequate. "The lack of fuel will push the hospital into a severe crisis," he warned, "with direct and deadly consequences for patients."

Under the ceasefire agreement with the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, Israel was required to open border crossings and allow unrestricted entry of food, fuel, and humanitarian aid.

However, Israel has largely ignored these obligations. Most crossings remain closed, and only a trickle of supplies is permitted into a territory devastated by nearly two years of relentless war and genocide.

The Gaza Health Ministry says that since Israel`s genocidal assault began on October 7, 2023, at least 440 people, including more than 150 children, have died from hunger.

Since Israel launched its genocidal assault on Gaza on October 7, 2023, it has killed nearly 71,000 Palestinians and wounded over 171,000 others, most of them women and children.