Nearly half of the dialysis machines at Al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest medical facility, are out of service because of shortages of essential medical supplies, hospital officials said, raising fears for hundreds of patients with kidney failure.
According to media reports, 25 of the hospital’s 51 dialysis machines are no longer functioning. Medical staff have reduced both the duration and frequency of dialysis sessions to keep the remaining machines operating, affecting about 240 patients with chronic kidney disease and increasing the risk of life-threatening complications, including heart and respiratory failure.
Gaza’s healthcare system has been under severe strain after months of conflict, with repeated shortages of medicines, fuel, electricity and medical equipment disrupting hospital services. International aid agencies have warned that damaged infrastructure and restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian assistance continue to undermine access to critical healthcare across the territory.
The latest warning comes as diplomatic efforts continue to reduce tensions elsewhere in the region. While indirect contacts have resumed following the recent U.S.-Iran understanding aimed at preventing further military escalation in the Gulf, negotiations over a separate U.S.-backed framework between Israel and Lebanon remain contentious, highlighting the broader instability affecting humanitarian conditions across the Middle East.
Doctors at Al-Shifa warned that unless medical equipment, spare parts and treatment supplies reach the hospital urgently, more patients could face irreversible health complications or death. Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly called for sustained access to life-saving medical assistance for civilians in Gaza.
