Mayor of Deir Al Balah Warns Fuel Blockade Threatens Services for Half of Gaza’s Population.

Deir Al Balah: Mayor of Deir Al-Balah Diab Al Jarou warned of a complete halt in all municipal services in the Deir Al Balah governorate, located in the central Gaza Strip. According to Qatar News Agency, the mayor stated that the Israeli occupation forces have been preventing the entry of fuel for over 20 days. This blockade affects the operation of vital services such as water wells, sewage pumps, garbage collection and transportation vehicles, and heavy equipment for debris removal and street clearing. In his statement to QNA, Al Jarou explained that municipalities have tried to maintain a basic level of services during the fuel shortage. However, the situation has now reached a critical point, resulting in the complete cessation of humanitarian services. The mayor highlighted that this stoppage is due to the continued fuel blockade, despite numerous appeals and distress calls from municipalities and partner institutions. He emphasized that the lack of water pumping, sewage overflow, and waste accumula tion pose severe public health risks, threatening the spread of diseases, particularly during the cold winter months. This situation has increased the hardship faced by residents, necessitating the intervention of municipal teams to alleviate their suffering. Al Jarou attributed full responsibility for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza to the Israeli occupation, labeling the fuel blockade a war crime in violation of international and humanitarian laws. He urged United Nations organizations and international bodies to intervene urgently to supply the necessary fuel. Restoring these services would allow municipalities to meet their service and humanitarian obligations to the governorate's residents and displaced individuals, who now comprise more than half of Gaza's population and who are facing increased hardship with the onset of winter.