GAZA, (PIC)
In a scene that summarizes the depth of the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, the danger is no longer limited to the Israeli bombing or the shortage of medicines, but has extended to threaten the rescue artery itself.
Ambulances and civil defense face the risk of field paralysis, as a result of the scarcity of engine oils and spare parts, amid strict Israeli restrictions on their entry under the pretext of classifying them as “dual-use” materials.
Imperfect measures
In one of the ambulance centers, paramedic Mahmoud Miqdad stands in front of a stopped vehicle, silently examining its engine, before starting to dismantle some of its parts.
This scene is no longer exceptional, but has turned into an almost daily procedure, in an attempt to keep other vehicles working.
Miqdad says, “We started taking from a stopped car to operate another, sometimes we transfer what remains of the oil from one vehicle to a second. We know that these are temporary solutions, but they are the only available option.”
The crisis goes beyond being a technical problem, as it comes within the context of a long targeting of the health and relief sectors.
According to data from the Government Media Office (GMO) in Gaza, 211 ambulances were subjected to attacks until the end of 2025, in addition to 23 civil defense vehicles, which exacerbated the fragility of the system.
With the beginning of April, dozens of vehicles stopped as a result of running out of engine oils, hydraulic materials and filters, according to the Gaza Center for Human Rights, which confirmed that the current solutions are “patchwork” and do not guarantee the continuity of work.
In normal conditions, engine oils are changed according to specific schedules, but Miqdad explains that these rules are no longer applicable: “We use the oil for multiples of the supposed period. The engine works without sufficient protection, as if it is walking without blood.”
He continues, “We started to hear strange sounds from the engines, a rise in temperature, and a decrease in performance. These are clear signs of internal wear that may lead to a sudden stop.”
Double danger
This silent wear puts the crews in front of a double danger: direct targeting on one hand, and the possibility of the vehicle breaking down during a rescue mission on the other.
“Imagine that the ambulance stops on the road while transporting an injured person. This actually happened to us, more than once,” Miqdad says.
He adds, “In our work, every minute could mean life or death. Any delay is not just a figure, but the possibility of losing a human being.”
In turn, the director of ambulance in the central region of the Ministry of Health, Abd al-Majid al-Attar, confirms that operational readiness has witnessed a sharp decline, as a result of continuous pressure and the shortage of oils and filters.
He points out in a press statement that the number of operating cars decreased from 10 to only three, which is a figure that does not meet the minimum needs.
Al-Attar says, “We are forced to reduce the movement of vehicles to avoid their breakdown, which raised the response time from half an hour to two hours sometimes.”
He adds, “We give priority to a limited number of cars, while others remain out of service due to the wear and tear of their engines.”
The crisis is not limited to ambulances, as it extends to hospitals that rely on electric generators that work for long hours daily. These generators need periodic maintenance, oils and filters, which are no longer sufficiently available.
In this context, the Gaza Center for Human Rights pointed to the stoppage of one of the main generators in the Nasser Medical Complex, and the resort to operating generators of less capacity and for limited hours, which threatens sensitive departments such as intensive care and operating rooms.
Danger of stopping
In a related context, the GMO Director General, Ismail al-Thawabta, said that “the health sector and ambulance services face a serious challenge represented by the acute shortage of oils, filters and basic operating materials, which directly threatens the continuity of providing life-saving services.”
He added in a statement to the PIC correspondent that “the continuation of this shortage, in the absence of regular supplies, puts health institutions in front of the danger of partial or full stoppage, at a time when the Strip is witnessing unprecedented pressure as a result of the high numbers of wounded and critical cases.”
Al-Thawabta explained that ambulances, electric generators and medical equipment rely mainly on the availability of oils to ensure their work with the required efficiency, warning that any disruption in this aspect will lead to catastrophic repercussions on the lives of tens of thousands of patients.
He stressed that the competent authorities launched “dozens of warnings” of the seriousness of the continuation of the crisis, calling for urgent intervention to ensure the entry of oils and operating materials regularly and without interruption, in a way that guarantees the minimum continuity of health services.
He also held the Israeli occupation and the concerned parties the legal and humanitarian responsibilities for the deterioration of the situation, demanding the necessity of neutralizing the health sector and emergency services from any obstacles, considering them humanitarian services that do not tolerate disruption or delay.
He stressed that the continuation of the crisis without immediate and radical solutions “portends a double humanitarian disaster”, in light of the fragility of the health reality and the decline in capabilities, which puts the lives of thousands of patients and injured people at stake.
