The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza is being compounded by a severe fuel shortage, which is hampering both the movement of vehicles and the response time of first responders, according to Stéphane Dujarric, UN spokesperson, during a regular briefing in New York. He also highlighted that essential supplies, including oxygen and electricity generators, are critically needed to maintain life-saving operations at Gaza’s hospitals. At least 24 additional generators are required, as the ones currently in use are in dire need of repairs and spare parts.
Food and Fuel Crisis Deepens
The World Food Programme (WFP) has reported that while food stocks within Gaza are sufficient to support kitchens and bakeries for up to a month, there is still an urgent need to manage rising food prices due to fuel shortages. The agency has been forced to reduce the quantity of food parcels provided to families, already a strategy they had implemented even before the ceasefire. In a worrying development, six of the 25 bakeries supported by WFP were shut down on March 8 due to a lack of cooking gas. This situation is exacerbated by the closure of border crossings, which has caused a sharp increase in the prices of staple foods like flour and sugar, making them even less accessible.
Displacement and Rising Violence in the West Bank
The situation in the West Bank is also worsening, with increasing settler violence, leading to casualties, property damage, and a heightened risk of displacement. OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) reported that demolitions of Palestinian-owned structures have surged, and by the first 10 days of Ramadan, they had already exceeded the total number demolished during all of Ramadan in 2024. As violence escalates, over 500 people have been displaced from three neighborhoods in Jenin since Monday.
Urgent Funding for Aid
Despite these dire conditions, the WFP continues to provide support to over 190,000 people with monthly cash vouchers and has provided one-off assistance to thousands in urgent need. However, the agency requires an additional $265 million in funding over the next six months to sustain essential operations that assist 1.4 million people in both Gaza and the West Bank.
The ongoing shortages and violence in the region continue to create enormous challenges for humanitarian efforts, and urgent action is needed to prevent further escalation of this crisis.
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