Fewer than half of Red Crescent's emergency vehicles operational in Gaza

By Beyza Binnur Dönmez

GENEVA (AA) - Fewer than half of emergency vehicles run by the Palestinian Red Crescent are operational in Gaza due to fuel shortages, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said Friday.

Closure of borders "significantly impacted" the services as only 23 out of 53 emergency vehicles remain operational after the halt of humanitarian aid, including fuel, into Gaza, IFRC spokesperson Tommaso Della Longa told a UN briefing in Geneva.

"This is a direct result of the lack of availability of gasoline," he said. "There are entire communities that are weakened, that are calling the emergency services and are not getting any answer."

Gaza has been suffering from severe shortages of fuel, medical supplies, and humanitarian aid due to prolonged border restrictions imposed by Israel at the beginning of March, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation.

More than 700 Palestinians have been killed and over 900 injured in a surprise aerial campaign by Israel on Gaza since Tuesday, shattering a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold in January.