According to a report by Reuters on the 17th (local time), the Israeli interim cabinet has agreed to allow the importation of 14,000 liters of fuel into the Gaza Strip every two days, in response to a request from the U.S. government.
This move has led to speculation that the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, caused by fuel shortages in hospitals and other facilities, could be somewhat alleviated.
An anonymous Israeli official stated that two trucks would enter the Gaza Strip daily to meet the UN’s demand, and the fuel being imported would support the minimum requirements for water, sewage, and sanitation systems to prevent the spread of epidemics.
Furthermore, a U.S. State Department official stated that Israel would allow the importation of 12,000 liters of fuel every 48 hours, which would be used not only for United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) trucks but also for desalination for drinking water, sewage pumps, bread, hospitals, and more.
In addition, 2,000 liters of fuel for the generators of telecommunications companies within the Gaza Strip will be imported every two days, the official explained.
According to The New York Times, Chachi Hanebi, the Israeli National Security Advisor, said that the fuel from the two trucks that will enter the Gaza Strip daily represents 2-4% of the amount that was regularly imported. “We want to prevent the spread of epidemics. If an epidemic spreads, civilians there (in the Gaza Strip) and our soldiers will be harmed,” he told reporters.
Reuters reported that the Israeli cabinet’s decision to approve the fuel was met with fierce opposition from some right-wing factions led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but it followed warnings from the international community about the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
Bezalel Smotrich, the far-right Israeli Finance Minister, criticized the decision to import fuel into the Gaza Strip, describing it as “giving oxygen to the enemy” in his statement.
댓글0