Third aid convoy enters Gaza as UN warns fuel about to run out
- UN said no fuel would mean a water desalination plant could not function along with bakeries and hospitals
- The Israeli army has accused Hamas of stockpiling fuel, and keeping it from hospitals in Gaza
A third convoy of humanitarian aid trucks delivered water, food and medicine to the besieged Gaza Strip on Monday, but the United Nations warned that fuel was not included and reserves will run out within two days.
Humanitarian deliveries through the Rafah crossing from Egypt began on Saturday after wrangling over procedures for inspecting the aid and bombardments on the Gaza side of the border had left relief materials stranded in Egypt.
“The United States remains committed to ensuring that civilians in Gaza will continue to have access to food, water, medical care, and other assistance, without diversion by Hamas,” US President Joe Biden posted on X.
Rafah is the main crossing in and out of Gaza that does not border Israel. Since Israel has imposed a “total siege” of the enclave in retaliation for an attack by Hamas militants on October 7, Rafah has become the focus of efforts to deliver aid.
Twenty trucks entered Gaza via Rafah on Monday, taking the total to 54 trucks since Saturday, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.