Gaza Heath Minister reports of medicine shortage
A Palestinian boy lies in al-Shifa hospital in Gaza October 22, 2007. A Palestinian health official said on Sunday Gaza's main hospital would be forced to stop surgery because Israel had banned imports of anaesthetic gas, but Israel said it had not blocked medical supplies. Reuters

The Gaza Strip's health minister Basem Naem blames West Bank-based Palestinian Authority for an acute shortage of medicines and supplies in the region.

He said, hundreds of mediactions and supplies have run out, The Canadian Press reported.

Gaza, which has its own government, receives medical supplies from the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, as international donors want it to control all humanitarian outlays.

Basem Naem has warned on Wednesday that all surgeries would be suspended in the next few days unless Gaza doesn’t start receiving the medical supplies.

The Palestinian Authority, run by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, says it doesn't have enough money to transfer the items.