Gaza’s Civil Defense has issued an urgent plea to the World Health Organization, warning that the enclave’s dwindling fuel supplies are paralysing ambulance services and first-response teams amid Israel’s ongoing assault. With every minute of delay, officials say, more lives are lost as emergency crews struggle to reach the wounded in time.

The shortage has already forced responders to postpone urgent missions or rely on civilian cars ill-equipped for medical emergencies, putting patients at even greater risk. Officials stress that without immediate fuel deliveries, Gaza’s fragile emergency network could grind to a halt entirely.

For a population already under siege, the fuel crisis is another deliberate blow to survival, cutting off the only lifeline for thousands injured in bombings, starvation, and disease. Each stalled ambulance is a reminder that in Gaza, even the journey to a hospital has become a race against impossible odds.