World Bulletin/News Desk

The Palestinian Health Ministry has warned that hospitals and medical centers in the blockaded Gaza Strip are suffering an acute fuel shortage that risks bringing their operations to a halt.

"Hospitals and medical centers are suffering an acute shortage of fuel needed to operate electric generators [for its operations]," ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qodra told a press conference on Wednesday.

He said the ministry had reduced its ambulance services by half due to a lack of fuel.

"The acute fuel shortage augurs ill for a major humanitarian catastrophe and will bring many medical centers to a halt," he warned.

The Health Ministry cannot purchase the fuel needed to run its electricity generators due to the failure of a new Palestinian unity government to pay operation costs.

The Ramallah-based unity government has yet to assume control of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip.