More than 1,500 patients in Gaza have died during the ongoing war because they could not be transferred abroad for life-saving treatment, the Gaza Health Ministry claimed on Tuesday.
The ministry's Director General, Munir Al-Bursh, said hospitals across Gaza are operating under extremely difficult conditions, with critical shortages of medicines, medical equipment, and essential supplies making it increasingly difficult for healthcare workers to save lives.
According to Al-Bursh, thousands of patients have been waiting for medical evacuation to receive specialised treatment outside Gaza.
He said delays in their transfer have resulted in the deaths of more than 1,500 patients.
He added that kidney patients have been among the worst affected by the crisis.
Due to shortages of dialysis machines, medicines, and other essential medical supplies, more than half of Gaza's kidney patients have died, he claimed.
The Gaza Health Ministry said the humanitarian and medical crisis continues to worsen as hospitals remain unable to obtain the basic medicines and equipment needed to provide adequate care.
It warned that more lives could be lost if urgent medical assistance is not delivered.
The ministry also appealed to the international community, the United Nations and international humanitarian organisations to take immediate steps to ensure the delivery of medicines and medical equipment and to facilitate the evacuation of critically ill patients for treatment abroad.