Fuel Crisis Looms in Gaza as UN Warns Supplies Will Run Out by Wednesday
UN relief workers in Gaza have issued a dire warning: fuel supplies will run dry by Wednesday night, plunging the region deeper into humanitarian chaos. The escalating crisis took a sharp twist after the Israeli military accused Hamas of hoarding fuel reserves, releasing satellite images allegedly showing a dozen fuel tanks storing 500,000 litres inside Gaza.
Israel Blames Hamas for Fuel Shortage
Responding to the UN Relief and Works Agency’s (UNRWA) urgent fuel request, the Israeli military fired a cutting message: “Ask Hamas if you can have some.” This pointed retort highlights the bitter standoff between humanitarian efforts and the ongoing conflict, complicating aid delivery.
World Leaders Demand Action but Avoid Ceasefire Calls
While countries like the US, Australia, and Canada have pushed for “humanitarian pauses,” none have fully endorsed a ceasefire. Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair slammed Hamas as a terrorist group that cannot be expected to honour international law or calls to halt fighting, insisting, “Hamas needs to be eliminated as a threat.”
Senior White House and US State Department officials echoed this hardline stance, ruling out any immediate ceasefire with Hamas amid the bloodshed.
Violence Escalates with Syrian and Palestinian Casualties
- Eight Syrian soldiers reportedly killed in Israeli airstrikes in southern Syria, according to Syrian state media.
- A drone strike following an Israeli raid in the West Bank has killed three Palestinians after initial reports suggested two fatalities.
UNICEF Sounds Alarm on Rising Child Deaths in Gaza
Amid the turmoil, UNICEF condemned the soaring number of child casualties in Gaza as “a growing stain on our collective conscience.” The charity detailed the widespread trauma haunting Gaza’s children, nearly all of whom have witnessed horror from relentless Israeli airstrikes that wreck homes and drain vital resources.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, nearly 5,800 Palestinians have died since October 7 — including 2,360 children.
“Violations of children’s rights — killings, abductions, attacks on hospitals and schools, and denial of humanitarian access — demand urgent action,” said UNICEF’s regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, Adele Khodr. “The deepening crisis must be addressed now.”
