Gaza Herald – Gaza municipalities warned that Israel’s continued restrictions on fuel entry had triggered a severe operational crisis, paralyzing essential services and sharply increasing the risk of disease outbreaks. Officials said the fuel shortage had directly undermined municipalities’ ability to function, especially during winter emergencies.
The Union of Gaza Strip Municipalities said water and sewage pumps had largely stopped working, raising serious public health concerns. Accumulating wastewater and uncollected garbage were compounding environmental hazards, while the lack of fuel left remaining municipal vehicles unable to clear rubble, open roads, or support ambulance and civil defence movements.
Municipal officials cautioned that the situation was poised to deteriorate further with heavy rains and winter storms, stressing that continued fuel deprivation could lead to a near-total shutdown of municipal services. They called for the immediate opening of crossings and the entry of sufficient fuel supplies to prevent a full-scale health and environmental catastrophe in Gaza.
