‘Alarming’ medicine shortages in Gaza amid Israeli restrictions

Al JazeeraCenterEN 3 min read 100% complete by Al Jazeera Staff,News AgenciesDecember 21, 2025 at 11:39 PM

AI Summary

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Gaza's Health Ministry issued a warning on December 21, 2025, about severe shortages of essential medicines, medical consumables, and laboratory supplies. The ministry reports that over two years of war and blockade by Israel have crippled the healthcare system. Specifically, 52% of essential medicines and 71% of medical consumables are out of stock, critically impacting emergency services, surgeries, and intensive care. The most urgent needs include intravenous solutions, antibiotics, and painkillers. The ministry states that reduced medical supply deliveries by Israel, now less than 30% of the monthly need, exacerbate the crisis, depriving hundreds of thousands of patients of essential care.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Khan Younis 40% Yasser Arafat 40% United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) 40% Palestinian ×270% Ministry of Health (Gaza) ×485% Israel ×390% Gaza Strip ×895%

Keywords

medicine shortages 100% gaza 90% israeli restrictions 80% health ministry 70% medical supplies 70% emergency services 60% critical drug shortages 50% healthcare facilities 50% genocidal war 40%