United Nations agency: Amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, the United Nations agency working in Gaza has issued a warning that its operations will come to a halt by Wednesday evening due to an imminent fuel shortage. This critical situation has exacerbated the already dire humanitarian crisis in the region. Palestinian officials reported that more than 700 people were killed in the Gaza Strip within a 24-hour period as a result of Israeli airstrikes.
The scarcity of essential fuel supplies, crucial for running hospitals, operating water pumps, desalinating water, and powering bakeries, has raised concerns among medical professionals. Doctors in overwhelmed hospitals have repeatedly emphasized the urgent need for fuel, highlighting the risk of casualties among new patients and infants reliant on oxygen supplies if the fuel shortage persists.
The deteriorating health environment, compounded by inadequate sanitation and the consumption of contaminated water, has sparked fears of a health catastrophe. Concerns have arisen that people might succumb to dehydration due to the collapse of the water system, further exacerbated by the relentless bombings.
According to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Gaza requires a minimum of 160,000 liters (42,267 gallons) of fuel daily to meet basic necessities. However, only eight out of the 20 aid trucks scheduled to enter Gaza on Tuesday successfully completed the journey, with no specific explanation provided for the failure of the remaining 12 trucks to cross the Rafah crossing.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that six hospitals in Gaza had to shut down due to the lack of fuel since the start of the Israeli siege two weeks ago. Notably, the closure of these medical facilities has put the lives of 1,000 patients dependent on dialysis and 130 premature babies, among other vulnerable individuals, at risk, as they rely on a stable and uninterrupted electricity supply to survive.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have refused to permit fuel entry into Gaza.
United Nations agency warns that Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have rejected the entry of fuel into Gaza, asserting that Hamas would exploit the fuel for its operational infrastructure and to sustain its rocket attacks. The ongoing conflict has resulted in a devastating toll, with over 5,000 lives lost, including 700 people within a single day, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. This tragic loss includes a significant number of women, children, and elderly individuals, underscoring the severe impact on the civilian population in the conflict-ridden region. Source thedailycourierng news