UN official warns lack of fuel in Gaza will halt aid delivery, communications

Lack of fuel in Gaza will bring aid delivery and communications to a halt as soon as Tuesday (November 14), said the head of the UN’s office for coordination of humanitarian affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Andrea de Domenico.

During a news briefing on Monday (November 13), De Domenico said depleting fuel and medical supplies are leaving Gazan’s lives “hanging by a thread.”

Citing reports from Paltel, Palestine Telecommunication Company, the UN official said all the companies systems will be shut down by Thursday, impeding communications.

Following fighting around Al-Shifa hospital, De Domenico said three nurses had been killed and dozens of patients were displaced.

Israeli tanks took up positions at the gates of Gaza City’s main hospital on Monday, the primary target in their battle to seize control of the northern half of the Gaza Strip, where medics said patients including newborns were dying for lack of fuel.

Gaza health ministry spokesperson Ashraf Al-Qidra, who was inside Al Shifa hospital, said 32 patients had died in the past three days, including three newborn babies, as a result of the siege of the hospital and lack of power.