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‘Slow suffocation’: Oxygen crisis threatens patients at Gaza hospitals

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This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

People carry equipment and oxygen cylinders at the oxygen production and filling center of Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, Gaza, Palestine on May 6, 2026. Abed Rahim Khatib – Anadolu Agency]

Inside the corridors of Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, doctors and nurses anxiously monitor oxygen levels and ventilators as a worsening crisis threatens to cut oxygen supplies to one of Gaza’s largest functioning hospitals, Anadolu reports.

In the neonatal unit, premature babies lie in glass incubators connected to oxygen tubes that help them breathe, while their mothers watch the machines in fear that supplies could be cut off.

In intensive care units, patients depend on ventilators to stay alive as alarms repeatedly sound because of low oxygen pressure. Medical teams are trying to prevent any possible interruption.

Nasser Medical Complex in southern Gaza has two oxygen-generating stations.

“The main station recently went out of service because of technical failures and a lack of operating oils, while the backup station is working at limited capacity and could stop at any time,” Ismail Abu Nimr, director of engineering and maintenance at the complex, told Anadolu.

Dozens of empty oxygen cylinders line up in the hospital courtyard, waiting to be refilled, reflecting the scale of the crisis as fears grow that the hospital could become unable to meet the needs of its critical departments.

Gaza’s Health Ministry has repeatedly warned of the dangers of Israel preventing the entry of medicines, medical supplies, equipment and related materials, saying the restrictions have catastrophic consequences for health services and patients’ lives.

Official Palestinian reports have also warned of the risks of Israel blocking the entry of spare parts needed to maintain equipment, machinery and vehicles that provide vital services to Gaza residents.

READ: Gaza: Mothers face triple threat of famine, displacement and loss of children

Death sentence

Ahmad al-Farra, director of the Children and Maternity Department at Nasser Medical Complex, said the hospital is experiencing “slow suffocation,” warning that the continued oxygen crisis threatens the lives of hundreds of patients, especially premature babies and intensive care patients.

“Oxygen is the lifeline inside hospitals, especially for babies in incubators, intensive care patients and operating rooms. These patients depend on it completely,” Farra told Anadolu.

He warned that the shutdown of oxygen stations would mean “a real catastrophe and a death sentence for hundreds of patients,” urging the international community to intervene before the service collapses completely.

Abu Nimr said the hospital depends on oxygen stations to supply patients inside its departments and to provide medical cylinders for field hospitals and other health facilities.

He said the main oxygen production station went out of service because parts wore out and the operating oils ran out, without specifying when it stopped operating.

“The second station inside the complex is still running, but at limited capacity and faces the risk of stopping at any time,” Abu Nimr warned.

He said Nasser Medical Complex, like other hospitals in Gaza, has struggled for years to bring in the spare parts and oils needed to maintain the stations, forcing technical teams to use local substitutes “that do not meet specifications.”

Those substitutes caused additional malfunctions and damaged pumps, he said, adding that technical teams are working with limited resources to keep the service running.

Looming catastrophe

The crisis at Nasser Medical Complex reflects the near-total collapse of Gaza’s health sector, especially oxygen production.

Last month, the Health Ministry warned that the only functioning oxygen station in Gaza City and northern Gaza could stop working.

The ministry said at the time that the station was the main source of medical oxygen for patients, especially those with chronic illnesses, and civil society organizations working in health care.

The station has suffered “repeated malfunctions because of heavy pressure and long operating hours, amid a lack of sufficient alternatives,” the ministry said, warning that a cutoff in medical oxygen would put patients’ lives at serious risk.

The ministry warned of a looming humanitarian catastrophe as the risk of the station shutting down grows alongside rising demand for oxygen at hospitals and health centers.

It urged international organizations and relevant bodies to quickly intervene to bring in new oxygen-generating stations and ensure a sustainable supply of medical oxygen to health facilities to protect patients’ lives and maintain health services.

25 stations destroyed

Israel destroyed about 25 of Gaza’s 34 oxygen production stations during two years of a brutal war, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

The ministry said in separate statements that the stations were destroyed during Israeli army incursions into hospitals as part of its ground operations in Gaza.

The ministry said in May 2025 that only about nine stations remained operational in the enclave, adding that they were working only partially and did not meet patients’ needs.

Israel deliberately targeted Gaza’s health sector during the war, including hospitals, medical facilities and health centers, as well as medical teams and ambulances.

The oxygen crisis is worsening as Israel fails to meet its obligations under the ceasefire agreement in effect since Oct. 10, 2025, including opening crossings and allowing in agreed quantities of medical aid and health-related supplies.

Israel has also violated the agreement through shelling and gunfire, killing 854 Palestinians and wounding 2,453 others, according to Health Ministry figures.

The agreement was reached after Israel’s two-year war that has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians, wounded more than 172,000 and caused massive destruction that affected 90% of civilian infrastructure.

READ: Israeli blockade threatens shutdown of only oxygen plant in northern Gaza

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer confirms that he doesn't know anything about democracy.
Keir Starmer confirms that he doesn’t know anything about democracy.

Continue Reading‘Slow suffocation’: Oxygen crisis threatens patients at Gaza hospitals

‘Crisis in plain sight’ as corridor care patients watch others die like in ‘war films’

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/crisis-plain-sight-corridor-care-patients-watch-others-die-war-films

CORRIDOR care is a “crisis in plain sight” with elderly patients watching others die while themselves waiting to be helped for days on end, a leading charity warned today.

A patient gave a first-hand account likening hospital corridor care to war films with “queues of stretchers and people suffering” in a new report by Age UK.

The charity raised concerns that poor quality care “is now almost expected” in some A&E departments.

It warned the situation could get worse as the NHS heads into winter and urged ministers to produce a plan to end long A&E waits and corridor care, with specific deadlines and milestones.

Royal College of Nursing general secretary Professor Nicola Ranger said: “Corridor care is a moral stain on our health service and this report is yet more evidence of its devastating consequences. 

“The reality is nursing staff and patients are being set up to fail by a system that simply isn’t working.”

…

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/crisis-plain-sight-corridor-care-patients-watch-others-die-war-films

Keir Starmer confirms that he's proud to be a red Tory continuing austerity and targeting poor and disabled scum.
Keir Starmer confirms that he’s proud to be a red Tory continuing austerity and targeting poor and disabled scum.
Continue Reading‘Crisis in plain sight’ as corridor care patients watch others die like in ‘war films’

Trump’s envoy visit to Gaza is a ‘publicity stunt,’ says Hamas

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/trumps-envoy-visit-gaza-publicity-stunt-says-hamas

 Smoke rises amid destroyed buildings following an Israeli shelling in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, August 1, 2025

HAMAS branded US President Donald Trump’s special envoy visit to Gaza a “publicity stunt“ today.

Steve Witkoff’s visit comes as the humanitarian crisis in the enclave rapidly deteriorates and killings continue.

Medical sources in Gaza reported that at least 38 people were killed by the Israelis today, including 12 aid seekers, with more than 80 people wounded.

The US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) denied anyone was killed at their sites today and said most recent incidents had taken place near United Nations aid convoys.

Mr Witkoff visited the south of the strip today as international outrage continues to grow over starvation, shortages and deadly chaos near aid distribution sites.

…

All four of GHF’s sites have become flashpoints during their months of operation, with starving people scrambling for scarce aid. 

Hundreds have been killed by Israeli gunfire.

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Hamas said today that the visit by Mr Wikoff to Gaza “is nothing more than a publicity stunt aimed at containing the growing outrage over US-Israeli complicity in starving our people in the strip.

…

See the original article at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/trumps-envoy-visit-gaza-publicity-stunt-says-hamas

Trump and Epstein
Trump with his paedophile friend Jeffrey Epstein
Donald Trump and his paedophile friend Jeffrey Epstein.
Donald Trump picture with one of his wives, Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
Donald Trump picture with one of his wives, Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
Donald Trump pictured with Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislane Maxwell.
Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein and one of Trump’s daughters.

Continue ReadingTrump’s envoy visit to Gaza is a ‘publicity stunt,’ says Hamas

‘They want to kill us and make us kill each other’

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morningstaronline.co.uk/article/they-want-kill-us-and-make-us-kill-each-other

Crisis in Gaza worsens as Israel maintains blockage on aid

 Palestinians struggle to get donated food at a community kitchen, in Gaza City, northern Gaza Strip, July 26, 2025

THE crisis in Gaza continued to worsen today as Israel maintained its blockage on desperately needed humanitarian aid reaching starving Palestinians.

This comes as two Israel-based human rights groups accuse Israel of committing genocide.

Israel announced on Sunday that the military would put in place a “humanitarian pause” on its operations in Gaza City, Deir al-Balah and Muwasi for 10 hours a day until further notice to allow for the improved flow of aid to Palestinians in Gaza, where concern over hunger has grown given the crippling blockade its military imposes on the territory.

But it said it would continue military operations alongside the new humanitarian measures. Agencies have welcomed the new aid measures, which also included allowing airdrops into Gaza, but say they were nowhere near enough to counter rising starvation.

Images of emaciated children have sparked international outrage, including from Israel’s allies. 

…

Article continues at morningstaronline.co.uk/article/they-want-kill-us-and-make-us-kill-each-other

Experiencing issues with this image not appearing. I suspect because it's so critical of Zionist Keir Starmer's support of and complicity in Israel's genocides.
Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpA
UK Labour Party government ministers Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves explain that they are partners complicit in Israel's Gaza genocide. The UK has provided Israel with arms, military and air force support. They explain that they don't do gas chambers but do do forced marches, starvation, destroy hospitals, mass-murders of journalists and healthcare workers.
UK Labour Party government ministers Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves explain that they are partners complicit in Israel’s Gaza genocide. The UK has provided Israel with arms, military and air force support. They explain that they don’t do gas chambers but do do forced marches, starvation, destroy hospitals, mass-murders of journalists and healthcare workers.
Vote Labour for Genocide.
Vote Labour for Genocide.
Continue Reading‘They want to kill us and make us kill each other’

Morning Star Editorial: Blame British Steel’s crisis on privatisation, not China or Net Zero

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/editorial-blame-british-steels-crisis-privatisation-not-china-or-net-zero

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds arrives as coking coal is unloaded at Immingham Port, northern England, as he visits the site in Lincolnshire to view raw materials destined for British Steel at Scunthorpe, being off-loaded, April 15, 2025

THE CRISIS at Scunthorpe steelworks, rightly if belatedly being addressed in the immediate term by state intervention, is the consequence of privatising critical national infrastructure so decisions on its future rest on the profit-and-loss calculations of private companies.

Right-wing media and parliamentarians, who are pro-privatisation and pro-war, want to avoid this conclusion. So we are seeing a propaganda campaign to blame it on other causes, each of which advances the right’s agenda.

One is that it is the result of pursuing “net zero” policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, a planned and publicly directed green transition is essential to Britain’s industrial future: it is leaving it to the market which places jobs and industry at risk.

Turning our backs on the climate crisis cannot be an option as extreme weather events and crop failures grow more serious with each passing year. Labour should face pressure not to drop its already much reduced climate commitments, but to invest in measures that directly help people — restoring its original ambitious plans to insulate 19 million homes in a decade, cutting emissions and lowering household energy bills, for example — to stop the climate-denialist right claiming green policies lower living standards.

The other is to turn Jingye’s record at British Steel into a “security risk” because the company is Chinese, scaremongering over other Chinese investments in Britain and calling for trade decoupling in line with the new cold war being pushed from Washington.

Here, socialists must take a clear position that distinguishes our opposition to any company not accountable to the British people controlling assets of strategic importance from a China-bashing narrative that raises international tensions and risks advancing the US-led war drive.

That doesn’t mean defending the behaviour of a firm like Jingye, which seemed designed to force the closure of the Scunthorpe blast furnaces and whose negotiations with government involved demanding huge sums of money while offering little in return.

But it does mean identifying the parallels between its conduct and, say, that of the Indian conglomerate Tata, which has also taken hundreds of millions in public money while refusing to save the blast furnaces at Port Talbot, a move set to cost thousands of jobs. The common factor is not the country of origin, but the lack of democratic accountability of companies not owned by the British public.

…

Article continues at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/editorial-blame-british-steels-crisis-privatisation-not-china-or-net-zero

Continue ReadingMorning Star Editorial: Blame British Steel’s crisis on privatisation, not China or Net Zero