The first trucks loaded with fuel entered the Gaza Strip on Monday since the start of the war

 between Hamas and Israel in the Strip, according to an official at the Rafah crossing, while

the UNRWA relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees warned that the fuel will run

 out within three days.

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Edited by |Alexander Yaxina

 

Humanity section -  CJ journalist

 

Gaza Strip - October,23,2023 

 

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The director of global health for the eastern Mediterranean explained that thousands of

critically ill patients are facing "certain death" as services are interrupted due to power

outages as a result of severe fuel shortages.

"Among these are more than 1,000 dialysis-dependent patients in intensive care who need surgery, and 130 premature babies in neonatal incubators who need a constant supply of

 electricity to survive,"he added.

Al-Manzari stressed the need to allow the entry of fuel into Gaza for the functioning of

facilities, ambulances and all facilities and equipment that rely mainly on fuel to perform

their functions and save lives, and considered that the sending of supplies has already been

 resumed, but "on a small scale and completely insufficient".

The WHO regional director called for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, adding that "a

 humanitarian ceasefire is needed for their safe passage".

The United Nations has warned of a "humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza, as fuel supplies

 needed to keep generators running in hospitals have reached dangerously low levels.

The spokesman of the Palestinian Ministry of Health, Ashraf al-Qudra, said that the failure to

 immediately deliver fuel to the hospitals of the Gaza Strip will pose a real danger to the

 wounded and sick.

"The hospitals in the Gaza Strip have completely dried up their resources due to the lack of the most basic emergency medical supplies, including fuel, and we call on the international

 community and Egypt to immediately work on the introduction of fuel and emergency

 health needs before more victims are lost inside the hospitals,"he added.

The relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) and an Egyptian source said

 that 6 trucks loaded with fuel entered the Gaza Strip to power generators in hospitals, but it

 is completely insufficient to continue the work of hospitals and Health Centers for a few

 days.

There is an urgent need to continue the flow of fuel shipments through the Rafah crossing

 and allow the Israeli government to cross it in a sustainable manner, according to

 Palestinian and international assurances.