Gaza is teetering on the edge of total humanitarian collapse as Israeli restrictions continue to block the entry of vital fuel supplies. In a rare joint warning, nine UN agencies have sounded the alarm over what they describe as an accelerating catastrophe, one that remains entirely preventable if immediate action is taken.

Fuel in Gaza is not a luxury; it is the artery of survival. It keeps hospitals running, powers water and sanitation systems, enables ambulances to reach the wounded, and sustains bakeries and aid convoys. Without it, Gaza’s already devastated infrastructure grinds to a halt. Hospitals are falling silent, premature babies are dying in failed incubators, water pumps are off, and food distribution has slowed to a trickle.

The delivery of 75,000 litres of fuel earlier this week, only the first in 130 days, was welcomed but widely condemned as grossly inadequate. Humanitarian agencies stress that at least 160,000 litres per day are needed to sustain core services for Gaza’s 2.1 million residents. Meanwhile, UNRWA and other organisations are reporting a surge in child deaths from hunger and dehydration, compounded by the spread of disease in overcrowded, overheated shelters.

Israel’s ongoing blockade, paired with near-constant bombardment, is not only obstructing aid, it is turning Gaza into a zone of unrelenting civilian suffering. More than 800 Palestinians have been killed in recent weeks while trying to access food or aid. At least 28 more, including children, were killed on Saturday in fresh airstrikes in Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis.

The UN’s message is stark: every hour without fuel is an hour closer to collapse. Aid workers can no longer reach those in need. Families are cut off from clean water, medical care, and even communication. This is not a natural disaster, it is the consequence of deliberate policy, and it can still be reversed. But time is vanishing fast.