Rafah Municipality says diesel and equipment shortages threaten basic service delivery

The Rafah Municipality in the southern Gaza Strip said on Sunday evening that it is managing a city in distress under extremely difficult conditions, where shortages of diesel and equipment threaten the delivery of basic services, the Palestinian Information Centre has reported.

The municipality explained that fuel scarcity disrupts the operation of vital facilities such as water wells and sewage treatment stations. It also halts the necessary equipment for debris removal, further complicating the situation and threatening an even greater humanitarian disaster.

The council noted that it has been able to provide 70,000 litres of diesel, a quantity that is only sufficient for 15 days at a rate of 5,000 litres per day. It highlighted that the crisis has led to the shutdown of many wells, depriving thousands of families of drinking water. Municipal teams are now unable to continue debris removal and road opening due to the fuel shortage, exacerbating the suffering of residents in these dire circumstances.

Under these conditions, the municipality faces significant challenges in providing basic services to the population, as crews work to operate the bare minimum of services despite limited resources. Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation forces continue to prevent the entry of heavy equipment, hindering efforts to remove debris and open streets, and delaying the restoration of easy movement in residential neighbourhoods and commercial areas.

A ceasefire agreement between the Palestinian resistance and Israel came into effect on 19 January, after 471 days of genocidal war that resulted in more than 48,000 Palestinians being killed and 112,000 wounded. Thousands remain missing, presumed dead, under the rubble of their homes and other civilian infrastructure destroyed by the occupation regime.

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