16 October 2023; MEMO: The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned yesterday on X that fuel reserves at all hospitals in the Gaza Strip are likely to run out within the next 24 hours.
It added in its daily report on the situation in Gaza last night that the shutdown of backup generators threatens the lives of thousands of patients.
Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Lynn Hastings, warned against the danger of the unprecedented inhumane situation in Gaza and the exhaustion of essential supplies.
In a statement, Hastings said that the water the UN organisation has to help the residents will run out either today or tomorrow and called for a ceasefire for humanitarian reasons.
“We are anticipating that there won’t be any more water left, if not tomorrow at the very latest by Tuesday. And what we need is for the water to be turned back on, so all the wells, at least in the south of Gaza, can be filled up. And that needs to happen immediately,” she added.
Hastings said:
"It’s really about the loss of our humanity if the international community allows this to continue. What we are seeing now is simply inhumane … the world needs to demand that we are able to deliver the assistance that is at the doorstep of Gaza."
Hundreds of tonnes of aid from several countries have been held up in Egypt for days pending a deal for its safe delivery to Gaza and the evacuation of some foreign passport holders through the Rafah crossing.
Egypt has said bombardment had rendered the crossing inoperable.
