Hospitals and families in Gaza are struggling to maintain electricity as shortages of engine oil, fuel and spare parts leave generators increasingly unreliable.
At Nasser Hospital, one of four generators is out of service while the remaining units are under heavy strain. Doctors have been forced to rotate electricity between departments, putting patients who depend on ventilators and other equipment at risk.
Hospital specialist Ahmed Al Nabris said shortages have forced technicians to extend generator oil changes from about 250 operating hours to as many as 1,000 hours.
Medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières said restrictions on engine oil and spare parts were also affecting ambulances, water pumps and other essential services. Local suppliers reportedly charge as much as $1,300 per litre for engine oil, compared with about $3 before the war.
The electricity crisis is also affecting households. Residents said the cost of power from private generators has risen about 20 times in recent months, leaving many families unable to afford even limited electricity.
Gaza has had no regular grid electricity since Israel’s military offensive began in 2023. Israel says controls on fuel and equipment entering the territory are necessary to prevent supplies from reaching Hamas, while humanitarian groups warn that the restrictions are worsening the civilian energy crisis.
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