The Palestinian Civil Defense in Gaza has sounded the alarm: 75% of its emergency vehicles are now out of service due to a crippling fuel shortage, severely compromising life-saving operations across the besieged Strip.

In a statement issued Thursday, the agency revealed that only four out of twelve fire, rescue, and ambulance vehicles in the southern governorates remain operational. The fuel crisis also affects power generators and oxygen devices, threatening what’s left of Gaza’s shattered healthcare and emergency response systems.

Civil Defense officials squarely blamed Israeli forces for the unfolding catastrophe, pointing to more than 580 days of blockade and over two months of total border closures. The siege has strangled access to fuel and vital supplies, further compounding the suffering of Gaza’s civilians.

The agency issued an urgent plea to the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and international organisations to intervene immediately and facilitate the entry of fuel and critical aid.

As emergency services falter under these dire conditions, the human toll continues to rise. Since October 7, 2023, at least 52,653 Palestinians—mostly women and children—have been killed, with nearly 119,000 others wounded. For Gaza, where every litre of fuel could mean a life saved, time is running out.