'Total collapse' of health system in Gaza: Palestinian spokesman

Gaza, Oct 25

A Palestinian spokesman has announced the "total collapse" of the health system in the Gaza Strip due to power outage and the exhaustion of fuel needed to operate generators in hospitals.

Ashraf Al-Qudra, spokesman for the Gaza-based Health Ministry, told a press conference on Tuesday that Israeli attacks had so far killed 65 medical staff, destroyed 25 ambulances, and made 12 hospitals and 32 health centres in the Palestinian enclave inoperable, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We fear that more (hospitals and health centres) will be out of service in the coming hours due to the attacks and running out of fuel," said the spokesman.

Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, firing thousands of rockets and sending its forces into Israeli territory, to which Israel responded with massive airstrikes and punitive measures, including a siege on the enclave with supplies of water, electricity, fuel, and other necessities being cut off.

The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict has so far killed nearly 5,800 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and more than 1,400 people in Israel.