For the first time in five months, two fuel trucks carrying 107 tonnes of fuel entered Gaza on Sunday via the Israeli-controlled Karem Abu Salem crossing, marking a rare easing of restrictions amid a worsening humanitarian crisis. The move follows mounting global pressure on Israel to allow life-saving aid into the enclave, as widespread reports of fuel shortages threaten to collapse Gaza’s fragile health infrastructure and raise alarms over a looming famine.
The trucks arrived from Egypt, and four more are expected to arrive later this week, primarily to support hospitals, bakeries, and public kitchens. Still, the delivery falls drastically short of what's required. According to humanitarian officials, at least 600 trucks per day are necessary to meet the basic needs of Gaza’s over two million residents. Israel's near-total blockade on fuel and food access, which began in March, is widely seen as part of an effort to pressure Hamas into releasing Israeli hostages captured during its October 2023 attack.
Hospital systems, already decimated by bombings and supply chain disruptions, are bearing the brunt of the fuel crisis. Doctors are being forced to make agonising decisions about which patients receive care, as generators run dry and critical equipment fails. The World Health Organization and other international aid groups have warned that the health sector is on the verge of collapse.
At the same time, food supplies are also down to a trickle. Viral videos have shown desperate Gazans swarming aid trucks, leading to chaotic scenes where Israeli forces have opened fire to control crowds. On Sunday alone, 27 people were killed during such an incident, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed while trying to access aid to at least 1,400 since June, according to the United Nations.
Despite the reported relaxation, Gaza’s media office claims that over 22,000 humanitarian aid trucks remain stranded at border points, mostly from international organisations. Israel’s Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) contradicted this by stating that 35 trucks have been allowed in since July. The vast gap between actual need and supply has fueled a growing humanitarian disaster.
In the last 24 hours alone, Gaza health officials confirmed six starvation-related deaths, pushing the death toll from hunger to 175. Among the dead are 93 children, a stark indicator of how deeply the crisis has affected the most vulnerable. As fears of famine rise, international agencies are intensifying calls for an immediate and large-scale humanitarian corridor to avert further tragedy.
