DUBAI, June 5. /TASS/. Nearly 60% of medical equipment for laboratories and blood banks in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed in Israeli strikes, the enclaves’ health ministry said.

According to the ministry, not more than 40% of equipment of medical labs and blood donor centers and banks are now operational. "Laboratories are remaining hospitals are overloaded, having no spare parts and capacities to maintain the equipment. Sixty percent of lab equipment, as well as devices [for blood collection, storage, and transfusion] were intentionally destroyed by the Israeli occupation forces," it said.

On March 18, Israel resumed hostilities in the Gaza Strip and delivered a series of strikes on Hamas targets, thus cutting short the ceasefire that had been in place in the enclave since January 2025. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office explained the move by Hamas' rejections of proposals advanced after talks with US envoy Steve Witkoff. It claimed that the goal of the operation was to release all of the Israeli hostages. Hamas placed responsibility for this latest spiral of escalation in Gaza on Israel and the United States.