Gaza _ Palestine News Network
The United Nations on Wednesday called on the Israeli Government to lift the ban on the introduction of fuel into the Gaza Strip "immediately."
Since 2 August, the Israeli authorities have prohibited the entry of most of the goods, including fuel into the Gaza Strip, in the context of the severe restrictions on imports and exports.
"Imposing restrictions on the entry of emergency fuel into Gaza is a dangerous practice, with dire consequences for the rights of people in Gaza," said the UN humanitarian coordinator, Jimmy Mcguldrake, in a press release.
"The well-being of 2 million people, half of whom are children, is at stake, it is unacceptable that Palestinians in Gaza are frequently deprived of the most basic elements necessary for a dignified life."
Organizations working in the health, water and sanitation sectors indicate that at least 60,000 litres of emergency fuel must be delivered to some 46 vital installations throughout the Gaza Strip, in order to ensure the functioning of major hospitals and the necessary water and sanitation services and their basic functions over the Next four days, according to the UN statement.
He explained that the fuel stock currently available in 40 out of 132 water and sanitation facilities within the sector was sufficient for only one or two days, and 1.2 million Palestinians were facing imminent danger of sewage flooding in the vicinity of the 41 main sewage pumping stations, in In the Gaza Strip, according to the statement.
"Hospitals in the Gaza Strip have reduced their operations; five hospitals are likely to be closed within the next three days if emergency fuel is not allowed to enter," the UN coordinator said.
He noted that there were more than 2,000 patients in Gaza hospitals, while medical services provided to more than 1.6 million Palestinians suffered from shortages of emergency fuel in 54 major health facilities.
"The situation is further aggravated by the fact that emergency fuel financing will be exhausted in all vital facilities in mid-August August, with $4.5 million being requested to ensure that the minimum required for the operation of essential services can be maintained until the end of this year," Macguldrake said.
He stressed the need for the Israeli Government to review its recent restrictions, particularly with regard By entering emergency fuel.
The population of the Gaza Strip suffers from economic and humanitarian conditions, which have been described as "the worst" in the world by the closure of the occupation by all the crossing points and border crossings into Gaza through Egypt or the occupied Palestinian territories in 1948, except for the partial opening of some Goods and travellers.
