World Bulletin/News Desk

The Palestinian Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip has urged the international community to intervene to "save Gaza's healthcare situation," which, he said, had reached a critical state due to severe fuel shortages.

"The functioning of the Gaza Strip's hospitals and medical centers is threatened by an acute fuel crisis," ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qodra said in a Thursday statement.

"The Health Ministry is urgently appealing to the international community to immediately intervene to save the healthcare situation and save the lives of thousands of patients," he added.

He accused the Ramallah-based Palestinian unity government of withholding funds from Gaza's public service agencies, saying that the shortage of funds had left Gazan health officials unable to purchase enough fuel.

The Palestinian unity government has yet to assume control of the Gaza Strip – administered by Hamas since 2007 – despite a visit to the coastal strip by Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah earlier this month.

Formed in June, the unity government – drawn up in line with an April reconciliation deal between Hamas and rival Palestinian faction Fatah – accuses Hamas of maintaining a "shadow government" in the Gaza Strip.

Home to some 1.9 million Palestinians, the Gaza Strip continues to reel from a recently-ended Israeli offensive that left over 2,160 Gazans dead and some 11,000 injured throughout July and August.