The health ministry in Gaza, which is run by the Hamas administration, has warned that the only oxygen generation plant serving Gaza City and the north is at risk of shutting down due to repeated malfunctions and an Israeli blockade.
The warning comes amid the ongoing war in Gaza, which began following the Hamas-led 7 October 2023 attacks and has severely damaged the area’s healthcare infrastructure.
The facility was not specified. However, it is likely to be located within or near Gaza City’s main hospital complex, centred on Al-Shifa Hospital, which has historically acted as the enclave’s primary medical hub.
The ministry said the plant is now operating under sustained pressure, with no viable alternatives in the north.
“The plant is the primary source of supplying patients with medical oxygen, especially those with chronic conditions, in addition to meeting the needs of health-related civil institutions,” it said.
The ministry called on relevant authorities and international institutions to intervene to allow the entry of new oxygen generation plants to ensure the supply of medical oxygen.
The exact production capacity of the plant is unclear. Prior to the war, oxygen systems at Al-Shifa were understood to produce around 650 litres per minute and supply multiple facilities beyond the host hospital.
The news comes soon after Gaza’s last remaining fully functional hospital, Al-Ahli, was incapacited in the early hours of 12 April ©Omar al-Qattaa/AFP/Getty Images
However, the hospital’s main oxygen generation plant was reportedly destroyed in 2024, severely limiting its ability to produce medical oxygen.
According to the World Health Organization, the site was left largely non-functional following military operations, with only partial services restored amid ongoing shortages of fuel, equipment and spare parts.
Across Gaza, healthcare capacity remains constrained. Of the 36 hospitals that previously served more than two million people, only around 10 remain partially operational, reported the UN.
Hospitals in Gaza are already rationing oxygen supplies, with no backup systems or access to spare parts if production fails.
In neonatal units, shortages have forced premature babies to share oxygen support in overstretched hospitals, stated UNICEF previously.
The wider oxygen system in Gaza has been severely degraded during the conflict. At least 10 central oxygen stations supplying hospitals have been destroyed, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Demand remains high, with around 350,000 chronically ill patients requiring ongoing treatment and acute respiratory infections accounting for roughly 80% of reported conditions, according to WHO.
