Gaza families face life-threatening oxygen shortage as hospitals crumble
Families in Gaza's displacement camps are struggling to keep oxygen cylinders filled for patients like 14-year-old Abdulaziz, while most of the enclave’s oxygen plants remain out of service.
Ali Humaida and his son Abdulaziz live in a tent in az-Zuwayda, where the family depends on a single oxygen cylinder to keep the teenager breathing. When the cylinder emptied one night, the boy's condition worsened dramatically, highlighting how fragile the supply is for patients with congenital heart defects, underdeveloped lungs and hydrocephalus. Gaza's Ministry of Health reported that, as of mid-August, only 12 of 34 oxygen-generation stations and four of 30 cylinder-filling devices remain operational, with the remaining equipment overburdened and prone to failure.
Israeli authorities classify oxygen cylinders and related equipment as "dual-use" items, blocking spare parts and new installations at border crossings. Medical staff say the shortage forces hospitals to halt external refilling services, reserving the limited oxygen for intensive-care units and surgeries, while thousands of civilians with chronic illnesses face deteriorating health. The United Nations estimates about 350,000 people in Gaza need ongoing treatment, but the war-damaged health system can barely meet the demand.
Why it matters
The oxygen shortage threatens the lives of vulnerable patients and underscores the humanitarian impact of the Gaza conflict.
In this story
