Gaza – Saba:
Dr. Zakari Abu Qamar, Deputy Director-General of Pharmacy at Gaza’s Ministry of Health, has warned of an unprecedented deterioration in the pharmaceutical situation in the Strip due to the ongoing Israeli blockade of crossings for three months, preventing the entry of medicines and medical supplies.
He told Filastin newspaper: "Since the Israeli enemy violated the ceasefire agreement on March 18, 2025, no medical supplies have entered—whether through the Ministry of Health, international organizations, or even the private sector." This has exacerbated the health crisis, leading to a sharp rise in severe drug shortages.
Abu Qamar noted that the shortage of medicines and medical consumables during the ongoing genocide in Gaza has directly impacted the provision of healthcare services. He explained that the health sector is under immense pressure, with a growing number of wounded and sick patients and a lack of resources to treat them.
According to the latest statistics released by the Ministry of Health last month, 43% of essential medicines used in hospitals and primary care centers have been completely depleted, while the shortage of medical supplies has reached 64%. Abu Qamar described these figures as "extremely high."
He further warned that many medical services are on the verge of shutting down.
Cardiac catheterization and open-heart surgeries have already stopped due to the exhaustion of necessary supplies, directly threatening patients' lives. Additionally, specialized orthopedic surgery is among the hardest-hit departments, with 87% of related medicines depleted. This puts patients requiring post-emergency fracture stabilization at risk of severe complications due to delayed surgeries.
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