Red Crescent ambulances in northern Gaza out of service due to lack of fuel

GAZA CITY, Palestine

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society on Friday said that all its ambulances in northern Gaza were forced to stop over the lack of fuel due to the Israeli army's incursion and siege for the sixth consecutive day.

"Six ambulances are completely put out of service due to lack of fuel, as the Israeli occupation prevents the entry of fuel into northern Gaza," Raed Al-Nems, Red Crescent Society's spokesman in Gaza, told Anadolu.

He added that the halt of the ambulances paralyzed providing the ambulance service to patients and wounded people in northern Gaza.

Commenting on the situation in northern Gaza, Al-Nems said the humanitarian situation is "quickly deteriorating with the continuation of the Israeli siege."

"The siege is preventing the arrival of basic humanitarian, medical and relief supplies to northern Gaza," he added.

Al-Nems noted that the Red Crescent is in contact with UN agencies including the World Health Organization, in an attempt "to bring medical and relief aid into northern Gaza in light of the extremely critical situation due to the shortage of fuel and essential medical supplies."

On Tuesday, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that the Israeli army had warned the three hospitals in northern Gaza to evacuate staff and patients, threatening killing, destruction, and arrest, similar to the situation at Al-Shifa Hospital several months ago.

The announcement comes after the Israeli army launched a military operation in Jabalia in northern Gaza on Sunday, citing the need to prevent Hamas from regaining strength in the area.

This followed intense strikes on northern Gaza’s eastern and western regions, the heaviest since May.

Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last year, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

More than 42,100 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 98,100 others injured, according to local health authorities.

The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the Gaza Strip amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.

Mediation efforts led by the US, Egypt, and Qatar to reach a Gaza cease-fire and prisoner swap agreement between Israel and Hamas have failed over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to halt the war.

Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara