‘Without fuel, we will fail the people of Gaza’

Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, calls for immediate action as fuel supplies in the Gaza Strip near depletion. © Keystone / Salvatore Di Nolfi

As the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) grapples with an impeding fuel crisis in the Gaza Strip, its head has made a desperate plea for immediate action. 

“In three days, UNRWA will run out of fuel, critical for our humanitarian response across the Gaza Strip,” warned Swiss-Italian Philippe Lazzarini,External link UNRWA Commissioner-General, on Sunday.  

Without fuel, the more than two million inhabitants of Gaza face a reality with “no water, no functioning hospitals and bakeries” to provide essential food supplies, Lazzarini explained. “Without fuel, aid will not reach those in desperate need. Without fuel, there will be no humanitarian assistance.”

According to the UNRWA Situation Report #11 on the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East JerusalemExternal link, dated October 22, nearly 406,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) are sheltering in 91 UNRWA installations in the Middle, Khan Younis and Rafah areas of Gaza. 

“No fuel is coming into #GazaExternal link. Fuel is really critical now, we need it coming in to keep aid operations going"@TomWhiteGazaExternal link warns "we need a sustained pipeline of aid to avert a catastrophe" as current supplies can't cover immense needs @AJEnglishExternal linkhttps://t.co/B1rFSD60oeExternal link

— UNRWA (@UNRWA) October 22, 2023External link

‘Unprecedented humanitarian crisis’ 

Lazzarini’s statement highlights the severity of the situation and the critical need for immediate action. “No fuel will further strangle the children, women and people of Gaza,” he stressed.

He called on all involved parties and those with influence over them to facilitate the immediate entry of fuel supplies into the Gaza Strip, ensuring that it is strictly used to prevent the collapse of humanitarian response efforts. 

In a media interview,External link Lazzarini described the situation in Gaza as an “unprecedented humanitarian crisis which is unfolding under our watch”.

“We have one million people who have moved from their homes […]. Hospitals have been hit. People near our settlements have been hit. More than 30 installations of the UN have also been hit,” he said.  

These facilities, now at risk due to the fuel shortage, are critical in providing shelter and aid to those displaced. Further exacerbating the crisis, the ongoing war has severely affected UNRWA staff membersExternal link,External link with 29 employees killed, and 17 injured since the hostilities commenced. Additionally, 12 displaced people sheltering at UNRWA schools have lost their lives, with nearly 180 injured. 

We are in shock and mourning.

It is now confirmed that 29 of our colleagues in #GazaExternal link have been killed since October 7.

Half of these colleagues were @unrwaExternal link teachers.

As an Agency, we are devastated. We are grieving with each other and with the families. pic.twitter.com/TPTdUAAjg3External link

— UNRWA (@UNRWA) October 22, 2023External link

Lazzarini acknowledged the first humanitarian convoy that arrived in Gaza on Saturday, but he described it as “far from enough” to meet the significant needs of the population. 

“Without fuel, we will fail the people of Gaza whose needs are growing by the hour, under our watch…” Lazzarini has emphasised the necessity for a “significant scaling up of a supply line into Gaza”.

Before the current war began on October 7, up to 500 trucks were entering Gaza daily, with 80% of the population already dependent on international assistance. ”So we need […] much more than that,”External linkLazzarini said. 

Aid still insufficient 

A third convoy of aid trucks entered the Rafah crossing from Egypt on Monday, bringing much-needed relief to the besieged Gaza Strip. 

This follows the first two convoys that entered on Saturday and Sunday, with a total of 34 trucks passing through over those two days. The number of trucks in Monday’s convoy was similar to the combined total of the two previous days.  

However, UN officials estimate that around 100 trucks would be needed daily to meet the essential needs of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, who are facing dwindling food, water and fuel stocks. 

Despite many being displaced themselves, our colleagues continue working around the clock to distribute the limited humanitarian aid we have in #GazaExternal link@UNRWAExternal link mobile medical teams are working in 90 shelters but urgently need safe + sustained access to fuel + medicine#UNRWAworksExternal link pic.twitter.com/0z7Z8uTqRTExternal link

— UNRWA (@UNRWA) October 23, 2023External link