Power cuts plunge Gaza hospitals into darkness as Israeli offensive continues | Powerful Stories

Omar Abu Atwa, a 30-year-old driver, was on his way home from work one day Central Gaza last month when an explosion shook the road around him.

Bloody and confused, he was taken away Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah, where doctors examined his hand injury.

While he was waiting for an X-ray, the power went out, rendering most of the hospital’s medical equipment inoperable, including the mechanical surgeons needed to attend to his wound.

After waiting six hours in the room, Omar left exhausted and frustrated, without an X-ray or proper treatment for his injured hand. This is a frequent occurrence for patients in Gaza, including those rushed to the hospital for life-saving surgery.

“I waited for many hours inside the hospital hoping for the electricity to return and the medical equipment to start working again. At that time, I was in pain and worried because I did not know the nature of my injuries or if my illness required immediate medical attention,” he told Al Jazeera.

“I saw children, old people and injured people waiting like I did, some needed a blood test, while others kept asking when the electricity would return so they could continue receiving treatment.

The Israeli genocide has already severely damaged the medical sector in Gaza, the Israeli bombardment since October 7, 2023 destroyed 38 hospitals and 96 primary hospitals or made them non-functional.

Bombings have almost completely destroyed the Gaza Strip, with nearly 90 percent of the electricity supply destroyed, forcing hospitals to rely on generators for power.

But the ongoing blockade of Gaza has led to a severe shortage of fuel needed for generators, which power life-saving equipment in hospitals such as ventilators, incubators and medical equipment. The use of non-original engine oil due to shutdowns has caused generators to malfunction or interfere with their operation.

This comes as Israel continues to launch almost daily attacks on Gaza 1,092 people were killed and 3,507 casualties since the so-called “ceasefire” went into effect in October 2025.

The ongoing power cuts have crippled hospitals and affected thousands of patients and health workers in Gaza, where the flow of patients caused by new waves of bombing and disease continues.

Most of Al-Aqsa’s main generators stopped working in early May 2026, when doctors and nurses were already suffering, leaving the hospital to use secondary generators and solar power or simply to reduce work.

Surgeon Omar al-Ashtal said the medical teams at the hospital are struggling to provide proper and necessary treatment to patients due to power outages, especially in operating rooms, where electricity is essential. Surgeons and doctors have to shorten or delay necessary surgeries until normal capacity is available, which creates difficulties for patients.

“What we are seeing today is not just a lack of electricity, but a serious problem that includes tired generators, lack of fuel and lack of spare parts needed for maintenance,” al-Ashtal told Al Jazeera. “The continuation of these conditions threatens the hospital’s ability to respond to emergencies and increases the suffering of patients waiting for treatment and medical care.”

Intensive care units, labor rooms, anesthesia departments and neonatal care are the most affected by the recent energy crisis. Any disruption in these departments can cause serious problems that can be life-threatening for patients, including babies in the incubator.

The lack of Internet and electronic systems also prevents management teams and nurses from completing the necessary tasks of obtaining or recording patient data, investigating cases and communicating between different departments.

Nurse Hamza Nawas said the medical teams are fighting as best they can at this time.

“We live under daily problems due to the problem of electricity. At night, the problems increase, especially with the heat and disruption of other services related to energy,” said Al Jazeera. “We do our best to continue to provide care, but the current situation makes work difficult and difficult.”

Engineer Omar al-Ghariz, an electrician at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, said the generators have been overloaded, exceeding their capacity for months.

“The power generators at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital have been working continuously for months after carrying loads beyond their capacity, due to their reliance on power outages,” he told Al Jazeera. “(This) has led to the loss of many generators and a noticeable increase in technology.”

Shortages of fuel and equipment at the hospital have forced the hospital’s maintenance staff to rely on temporary measures to keep the generators running, but this could delay the inevitable, with the system struggling under 24/7 hours.

“The biggest risk is that the hospital relies on a limited number of generators to use in its essential departments. A sudden failure or lack of fuel can lead to the suspension of essential services,” he said.

“Therefore, we urgently need new generators, replacement equipment and technical support to ensure that medical services continue.”