Lack of fuel in Gaza endangers the welfare of two million Palestinians
The lack of fuel affects multiple health centers. In addition, thousands of Palestinians are affected by the overflow of wastewater. The UN urges the Israeli authorities to allow the immediate entry of fuel.
Five hospitals in Gaza will be forced to stop their activities if during the next three days Israel does not allow the entry of fuel into that Palestinian city, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned on Wednesday.
More than 2000 patients, who depend on electrical devices, would be the main affected by this situation that could reach more than 1.6 million Palestinians in the fifty-four main health centers of the Strip.
The head of the Office, Jamie Mc Goldrick, urged the Israeli authorities to allow immediate entry of emergency fuel purchased by the United Nations to supply electricity to ensure basic services on Palestinian land.
"Restricting the entry of emergency fuel into Gaza is a dangerous practice, with serious consequences for the rights of the population of Gaza," he said. " The welfare of two million people , half of whom are children, is at stake - it is unacceptable that the Palestinians in Gaza are continuously deprived of the basic elements for a decent life."
Those in charge of the health, water and sanitation areas estimated that at least 60,000 liters of fuel are needed immediately to guarantee the minimum functioning of health centers and essential water and sanitation services during the next four days.
According to OCHA, more than one million Palestinians could be affected by the overflow of sewage on the streets of Gaza, wastewater treatment plants have reduced their operations and the collection of solid waste has also declined, leaving them on the streets about 15,000 tons of garbage.
The municipality of Gaza has been forced to direct 100,000 cubic meters of wastewater daily, the equivalent of four Olympic swimming pools, to the relief of a torrent to the north of the city, with the risk that an overflow affects all communities of the surroundings.
Without funds, even worse
To this delicate humanitarian situation we must add the lack of financial resources. Mc Goldrick indicated that funds for emergency fuel for all essential facilities will be exhausted by mid-August .
To ensure a level of functioning of these units until the end of the year, the Coordination Office indicated that it needs to obtain 4.5 million dollars.
Since last August 2, the Israeli authorities prohibit the entry of fuel into the Gaza Strip in the context of tougher restrictions on imports and exports.
To that decision is added an earlier ban that lasted from July 16 to 24. According to the Israeli authorities, the intensification of the measures is due to the launching of explosive kites from Gaza to Israel that has caused great material damage.
