Many patients are unable to leave for urgent treatment as Israel keeps all crossings shut, Palestinians say.
Five days into the worst fighting in months between Israel and militant groups in Gaza, concern is mounting about the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory.
A spokesman told the BBC this would "lead to an exacerbation of the humanitarian problems". The plant supplies about half of the electricity in the territory, where some 2.3 million Palestinians live.Dina el-Dhani, a Palestinian cancer patient in Gaza City, says she missed her scheduled treatment in Jerusalem
"These treatments are undoubtedly being delayed and potentially leading to deaths because of the delays now," he added.Ziyad al-Za'noun, 70, has cancer of the spinal cord and is treated every week at Istishari Hospital in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank. Israel tightened its blockade of Gaza in 2007 after it was taken over by the Islamist militant group Hamas, citing security concerns.
More than 90 patients - six of them children with cancer - were due to arrive there in the past week but could not travel, according to Dr Fadi al-Atrash, the hospital's chief executive. "When the checkpoints are open, there will be another process for permits. More time will be taken to arrange their exit from Gaza to the hospital and that will add to the delay in their treatment that they have suffered from in the past week," Dr Fadi said.
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