Rescuers and onlookers inspect the debris of Sheikh Radwan police station in Gaza City. AFP
In a statement, the civil defence said it no longer has the minimum amount of fuel required to carry out rescue and emergency interventions and appealed for urgent international action to address the crisis.
“The depletion of fuel has directly affected our capacity to save lives and provide basic humanitarian services,” the civil defence said, urging international institutions and humanitarian organizations to immediately supply fuel to ensure the continued operation of emergency vehicles and equipment.
Israel has continued to block fuel deliveries, citing “dual-use” concerns that fuel could be diverted for military purposes. It has also prevented the entry of heavy machinery needed to clear rubble and recover thousands of Palestinian bodies believed to be buried under destroyed buildings.
Despite a ceasefire in place since October 2025, Israel has continued its military operations in Gaza, killing civilians, further damaging infrastructure, and making the civil defence agency's work increasingly necessary.
Over the past 24 hours alone, three people were killed and 15 others wounded. Since October 2025, Israeli attacks in violation of the ceasefire have killed 529 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 1,462 others.
The civil defence said the fuel blockade has severely limited its ability to respond to distress calls, especially during harsh weather that requires heightened readiness. Months into the truce, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians remain displaced, living in tents and heavily damaged buildings, and exposed to night-time temperatures that fall below 10 degrees Celsius (50 Fahrenheit).
The agency added that fuel shortages have forced it to suspend the recovery of bodies because vehicles cannot operate, and have also halted efforts to remove hazards due to the lack of fuel to run heavy equipment.
Under the first phase of the ceasefire, Israel was required to allow the entry of 600 aid trucks per day and to reopen the Rafah border crossing with Egypt for cargo and passengers.
Although the Rafah crossing resumed a two-way movement early Sunday on a limited, trial basis, aid deliveries, particularly fuel, remain far below agreed levels.
United Nations and Associated Press analyses published in December showed that an average of 459 aid trucks per day entered Gaza between 12 October, when aid flows resumed, and 7 December.
UN data also showed that 6,545 trucks were offloaded at Gaza crossings between the start of the ceasefire and 7 December, averaging about 113 trucks per day. These figures do not include aid delivered outside the UN system. Israeli data also indicated delivery levels well below the agreed target of 600 trucks per day.
Gaza’s infrastructure has been heavily damaged during the ongoing war, and repeated fuel shortages have disrupted hospitals, water systems, sanitation services, and emergency response operations. Aid agencies have repeatedly warned that limited fuel supplies could bring remaining life-saving services to a complete halt.
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