Gaza faces medical oxygen shortage with only 12 of 34 generators operating

Only 12 of Gaza’s 34 oxygen‑generation stations remain operational, a sharp decline that has intensified the enclave’s health emergency amid ongoing hostilities. The reduction follows extensive damage to infrastructure caused by airstrikes and a blockade that has limited the import of spare parts and fuel needed to keep the plants running. Health officials in Gaza report that the loss of more than half the oxygen supply capacity is straining hospitals already coping with a surge in casualties and a high prevalence of respiratory illnesses.

The shortage has forced medical facilities to ration oxygen, delay surgeries, and transfer critically ill patients to the few functional units that can still produce the gas. The World Health Organization and United Nations agencies have warned that without immediate restoration of the remaining stations, mortality rates could rise sharply, especially among children, the elderly, and those with chronic conditions. International aid groups are seeking corridors for the delivery of equipment and fuel, while diplomatic efforts continue to address the broader humanitarian crisis affecting the densely populated, besieged territory.