The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has warned in a statement that the fuel shortage in Gaza has reached critical levels, putting at risk essential services for 2.1 million people, according to Al Jazeera.

The statement said, “Fuel is the backbone of survival in Gaza. It powers hospitals, water systems, sanitation networks, ambulances, and every aspect of humanitarian operations.”

These operations include transporting essential goods across the Gaza Strip and operating bakeries that produce bread for the population that is “teetering on the edge of starvation”. The statement warned that without fuel, these lifelines will vanish.

“The UN agencies and humanitarian partners cannot overstate the urgency of this moment: fuel must be allowed into Gaza in sufficient quantities and consistently to sustain life-saving operations,” it said.