Israel: Israel has agreed to allow two fuel trucks a day to enter the Gaza Strip, after a request from the United States.
A US State Department official stated that around 140,000 litres of fuel will be allowed every two days. The official pointed out that the majority of that is meant for vehicles carrying relief supplies and helping the UN with water and sanitation. The remaining amount is for mobile phone and internet services, which had been cut off due to a lack of fuel.
According to the US official, Israel was under a lot of pressure from Washington to approve this fuel transaction.
The official noted that although the deal had been agreed upon in principle weeks earlier, Israel delayed it for two reasons.
Israeli officials told the US that fuel had not actually run out in southern Gaza, and they also wanted to wait and see if they could negotiate a hostage deal first.
The head of UNRWA warned that the agency may have to suspend all of its activities due to the lack of fuel. The agency remarked that it needed “160,000 litres of fuel every day for basic humanitarian operations,” which is more than twice as much as had been agreed upon.
The Israeli official said that the fuel would give “minimal” support to water, sewage, and sanitation systems, in order to prevent the outbreak of epidemics that could spread in the area.
International organisations have repeatedly expressed serious concerns over the humanitarian situation unfolding in the Gaza Strip.
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