UNRWA Urges Immediate Reopening of Gaza Border Crossings for Essential Supplies Amid Fuel Crisis

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has called for the immediate reopening of the border crossings between Israel and the Gaza Strip to enable the entry of essential fuel and humanitarian supplies. In a statement released on May 8, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarino expressed grave concern over the ongoing closure of the Rafah crossing, which has left aid organizations with just a few days’ worth of fuel for their operations and hospitals in Gaza facing imminent closure due to a lack of fuel. Lazzarino warned that without the resumption of fuel deliveries and the free flow of humanitarian goods, the situation in northern Gaza, where the agency reports a state of “full-blown famine,” will continue to deteriorate rapidly. Similarly, Israeli authorities have reportedly assured the UN that they are working on finding ways to deliver more fuel to Gaza, potentially starting on Wednesday, but have given no clear timeline for when the crossings might be fully reopened. In the meantime, UN agencies and international aid groups have ramped up their efforts to provide assistance to Gaza in response to the recent easing of Israeli restrictions and the opening of an additional crossing in the north, following pressure from the US, Israel’s closest ally. However, aid workers have cautioned that the continuing closure of Rafah, which serves as the sole portal for delivering fuel to Gaza’s trucks and generators, could have profound and far-reaching consequences for the population’s health and welfare.