A group of Arab doctors from the Palestinians of 1948, returned lately to Tel Aviv from a trip to the Gaza Strip, warning in a report from a near collapse of the healthcare system. The doctors confirmed that patients have died in the territory due to a dire shortage of drugs and medical equipment. Those doctors, who enter the Gaza Strip once every month to help doctors there, said that out of 206 essential medicines – ie 40 percent of medications included in the basic Palestinian health basket, had run out. A further 27 drugs, or 6 percent of the 516 medications in the basket, were about to be depleted within days or weeks, they said in their report. The remaining types of drugs are available, but in small quantities. They include cancer treatment drugs, antibiotics, and drugs needed to treat autoimmune diseases and performing dialysis. The report also pointed out at the risk caused by the power cuts. “It is true that Israel resumed selling 120 megawatts of power to Gaza… However, the territory needs around 500 megawatts, while it only receives 200 megawatts per day, provided by Israel, Egypt and a power plant in Gaza,” the report explained.  It added that there is a daily supply of electricity of only four to eight hours, while 53 hospitals in the enclave rely on generators and monthly supplies, using 450,000 litre of fuel, provided by the UN. The world body warned last week from a likely shortage of electricity supplies to vital installations in Gaza expected in the coming 10 days. A January report by the World Health Organization had also warned that 1,715 patients would be in immediate life-threatening situations if hospitals run out of fuel. Also, the doctors warned in their report that Israel’s policy to reject granting permits for patients to leave the Gaza Strip and to medical workers, who need to bring medical equipment, is creating fear among families over the fate of their relatives.