"In Shifa hospital in Gaza city, 135 cancer patients are currently unable to receive treatment due to the lack of basic medications," Oxfam said.

The problem is attributable largely to seven months of blockade since Hamas took over in the enclave but last week's complete lock-down of Gaza exacerbated the situation, and the Rafah border break-out has not fundamentally changed the situation.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak has said "the policy of the closed crossings to Gaza will continue except for transferring small amounts of fuel and humanitarian equipment," the Israeli daily Haaretz reported.

When the Rafah border was breached, one of the items people bought was medicines, though the amount purchased does not solve the overall problem.

The World Health Organization has reported a shortage of at least 88 drugs and 204 essential medical consumables in the Gaza Strip. WHO has called for the lifting of restrictions on medicine imports and patient movements, and said it was concerned by power cuts.

Fuel imports

Israel has begun to let in industrial fuel for Gaza's power plant, and the state prosecutor informed the High Court on 27 January that import levels would be raised to those prior to the increased restrictions implemented in October, but officials in Gaza have warned that this is not enough.

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