Fuel shortages threaten essential services in Gaza, Petroleum Authority warns

The Director General of the Palestinian Petroleum Authority, Iyad Al-Shourbajy, warned that the interruption of gas and fuel due to Israel’s closure of crossings signals a real humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip, with the cessation of many essential services, the Palestinian Information Centre reported.

Al-Shourbajy said that the closure of the crossings and the resulting halt in gas and fuel supplies have “serious negative implications for the lives of citizens who are already suffering from the effects of war, aggression, and the Israeli blockade that have caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip.”

In statements published in Palestine Today yesterday, Al-Shourbajy noted that the interruption of gas and fuel threatens a humanitarian catastrophe due to the resulting halt of many essential goods and services, such as bakeries, hospitals, transportation and communications, and it threatens to stop water supplies and economic activity.

He pointed out that all these services rely on fuel and gas, emphasising that one of the repercussions is the inability of people to cook due to the unavailability of domestic gas.

Al-Shourbajy clarified that there is no gas stock in the Gaza Strip because the quantities that were entering were insufficient to meet the citizens’ needs; thus, what was entering was consumed immediately.

Regarding fuel, he indicated that the existing quantities are only for some humanitarian facilities, such as health centres and municipalities, and these quantities are sufficient for only a few days, and they could stop at any moment, causing a major humanitarian disaster.

He added that other economic sectors, including the private sector, are not supplied with any quantities officially, and what exists is only a very small amount sold on the black market, which is insufficient to meet the minimum consumption needs of the citizens.

Due to this, prices have skyrocketed significantly, Al-Shourbajy explained, adding to the suffering of citizens who are already experiencing poverty, deprivation and deteriorating financial and living conditions.

The Gaza Strip needs about 7,000 tonnes of gas monthly, while the quantities entering recently do not exceed 3,500 tonnes at best.

Israel continues to violate the terms of the ceasefire deal which came into effect on 19 January and has closed all crossings into Gaza, once again launching its starvation policy in the enclave in an effort to force Palestinians to agree to the terms it seeks. According to right-wing members of its government, Israel is working on a plan to forcibly displace Palestinians before building settlements in the enclave.

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