Hamas calls for immediate intervention to allow fuel into Gaza for hospitals

ISTANBUL

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas urged the United Nations and the international community on Sunday to “immediately intervene to bring fuel into the Gaza Strip to operate hospitals.”

It issued the statement in response to a claim by the Israeli army that the group had refused to receive fuel for Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza.

Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee said Sunday on X that Israeli forces had provided Al-Shifa Hospital with 300 liters of fuel but Hamas had prevented the hospital from receiving it, while the group denied the allegations, describing them as “a lie.”

“Hamas is not a party to the management of Al-Shifa Hospital, nor does it have a presence within its decision-making structure, and it is completely subject to the authority of the Palestinian Health Ministry, which manages its administrative and technical affairs,” the group said.

“What Al-Shifa Hospital’s administration revealed was that the occupation’s offer to supply the hospital with only 300 liters of fuel represents an underestimation of the pain and suffering of patients, premature babies and medical staff who are trapped inside it.”

"Through this offer, the occupation sought to launch a cheap propaganda campaign to beautify its ugly face and try to hide its crimes against humanity, its bombing of hospitals, its killing of medical staff, and its endangerment of patients' lives by cutting off fuel, water and medicines from them," Hamas said.

The group called on the UN and the international community to "intervene immediately to bring fuel into the Gaza Strip to operate hospitals, to rescue the patients, children and wounded inside, and to stop these flagrant violations of international law."

Israel has been carrying out relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip -- including on hospitals, residences and houses of worship -- since the Palestinian group Hamas launched a cross-border attack on Oct. 7.

Since then, the number of deaths in the ongoing Israeli attacks has surpassed 11,100, including more than 8,000 women and children, the government media office in Gaza said on Sunday.

The Israeli death toll is nearly 1,200, according to official figures.