Aid withdrawal is bringing health service in Gaza to brink of collapse

Palestinian hospitals say that the withdrawal of foreign aid after Hamas's election victory and an Israeli partial blockade of the Gaza Strip is costing lives and driving the health service to the brink of collapse.

Doctors say that a shortage of drugs and equipment has already claimed the lives of patients, and that many hospitals are down to their last emergency supplies of drugs. The crisis has been compounded by the fact that medical staff, along with all 160 000 employees of the Palestinian Authority, have not been paid for nearly three months.

The United States said last week it is to send $10m (£5.3m; €7.8m) worth of medicines …