UN Warns of Halting Aid Operations in Gaza Due to Fuel Shortages
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the primary UN agency operating in Gaza, cautioned that its aid operations would come to a halt within a day without the delivery of fuel. The UN describes this cessation as the potential termination of a vital lifeline for the civilian population in the region.
Although Gaza has received some aid via Egypt, these supplies encompassed essentials such as food, water, and medicine, but not fuel. Since Hamas launched an aggressive attack on October 7, Israel has blocked fuel from entering Gaza, asserting that the militant group would use it to intensify its combat against Israel.
Tamara Alrifai, UNRWA's spokesperson, warned CNN of the agency's imminent suspension if fuel reserves were exhausted by the end of the day. UN officials highlighted that the present stock is barely sufficient for the 2 million Palestinians in Gaza. Without fuel, the aid distribution process is hindered, hospitals lose power, and the purification and pumping of drinking water become unfeasible.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres briefed the UN Security Council on the situation, accentuating the essential role of fuel in sustaining life in the region. Doctors in the beleaguered hospitals have expressed grave concerns about the prospect of fatalities among the injured and infants dependent on oxygen if fuel supplies aren't replenished.
The escalation in conflict has seen a record high in casualties, with over 700 individuals killed in Gaza within 24 hours due to Israeli airstrikes. These strikes were launched in response to what Israel identified as Hamas targets, with the conflict commencing approximately two and a half weeks ago.
Juliette Touma, UNRWA's director of communications, shared that the agency provides shelter to approximately 600,000 individuals in Gaza, emphasizing its significance as their sole lifeline. Tom White, the UNRWA director for Gaza, spoke of the challenges aid workers face in determining the distribution of life-saving aid amidst these fuel shortages.
Established post the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, UNRWA has been instrumental in offering essential services to Palestinians displaced by the conflict. Besides humanitarian aid, it educates nearly 300,000 students in Gaza. However, the recent conflict has transformed schools into sanctuaries for Gazans fleeing their residences. White expressed concerns about the agency possibly "winding down" its operations due to the fuel scarcity, emphasizing the indispensable nature of fuel for the agency's functions.
Highlighting the growing crisis, concerns are surging over a potential health calamity in Gaza, with the possibility of residents dying of dehydration as the water infrastructure deteriorates amidst ongoing bombings. Out of the planned 20 aid trucks to enter Gaza, only eight completed their journey on Tuesday, with the remaining 12 unable to cross the Rafah border. Since the onset of the Israeli blockade, six hospitals in the region have ceased operations due to insufficient fuel, as stated by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday.
In a recent statement, the WHO highlighted the dire situation of "1,000 patients dependent on dialysis" and "130 premature babies," emphasizing their reliance on a consistent power supply.
Despite the grim scenario painted by the UN and WHO, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) rejected the possibility of permitting fuel into Gaza, stating that Hamas would misappropriate it for militant operations. Contradicting claims of a fuel shortage, the IDF shared an aerial image purportedly showing substantial fuel reserves in Gaza.
In retaliation to Hamas' deadly assault on October 7, Israel's leadership has pledged to neutralize the militant group. The consequent Israeli offensive has resulted in over 6,400 fatalities and 17,000 injuries, according to figures from Hamas-controlled health authorities and the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
The densely populated Gaza region, spanning 140 square miles, houses about two million inhabitants, with half being children.
Al Jazeera reported a personal tragedy of its Gaza bureau chief, Wael Al-Dahdouh, who lost his family members in an alleged Israeli airstrike. The veracity of this claim remains unconfirmed, and the IDF has not commented on this incident.