World Bulletin / News Desk

A hospital in Gaza stopped services Monday after it ran out of fuel, the health ministry said, in a further example of a severe electricity shortage facing the blockaded Palestinian enclave.

He said some 60,000 people are usually served by the hospital, which had been treating dozens of patients in serious condition.

Other hospitals, including the Shifa Hospital which is Gaza's largest, remain open.

Gaza is suffering from crippling energy shortages, with residents receiving only a few hours of power per day.

At current electricity rates, the hospital needs 500 litres of fuel a day to operate a generator and keep services open, Qudra added.

The cold weather in Gaza has led to a spike in demand for electricity and fuel used to power generators.

The enclave needs 500 megawatts of electricity a day but receives less than half that.

Israel has maintained a siege on Gaza for a decade which it says is necessary to limit Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the strip and with which it has fought three wars since 2008.

Goods and supplies such as fuel not on Israel's banned list are allowed to enter through one crossing from Israel into Gaza.

The Palestinian Authority, based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, recently agreed to end cuts on electricity payments for Gaza.

Egypt has also kept its border with Gaza largely closed in recent years, but has allowed some fuel to be imported.