Eight United Nations agencies have issued a joint statement warning that fuel supplies in Gaza have reached critically low levels, putting 2.1 million people at risk of losing access to vital humanitarian services.
The agencies — OCHA, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNOPS, UNRWA, WFP, and WHO — say that without immediate and sustained access to fuel, hospitals, water and sanitation systems, food distribution, and other life-saving services will grind to a halt.
“Fuel is the backbone of survival in Gaza,” the statement reads. “It powers hospitals, water systems, sanitation networks, ambulances, and every aspect of humanitarian operations.”
According to the statement, Fuel is essential to operating:
- Ambulances and health facilities, including maternity and intensive care units
- Bakeries and community kitchens
- Water production and sewage treatment
- Waste collection and disposal
- Humanitarian logistics and communication networks
With hospitals already going dark and ambulance services crippled, UN officials warn that a complete collapse of humanitarian efforts is imminent without fuel access.
In the absence of fuel, bakeries and food distribution points will shut down. Water and sanitation systems are also at risk, increasing the threat of deadly disease outbreaks in overcrowded and underserved areas.
“These conditions expose families to deadly disease outbreaks and push Gaza’s most vulnerable even closer to death,”
– the statement said
The Agencies also warn that Telecommunications and mobility are also threatened, which would severely disrupt coordination among aid workers and further isolate already cut-off communities.
Although a small amount of fuel was allowed into Gaza for the first time in 130 days earlier this week, UN agencies describe it as “a welcome development” but insufficient to meet daily operational needs.
The joint UN appeal emphasizes that fuel must be allowed into Gaza in adequate and regular quantities to prevent a total collapse of humanitarian efforts.
“The United Nations and humanitarian partners cannot overstate the urgency of this moment,”
– the agencies said in unison.
