In a joint statement, eight UN agencies have warned that Gaza’s worsening fuel shortage is threatening to shut down critical humanitarian operations, Al Jazeera reports.

Unicef, WHO, WFP, Unrwa, UNFPA, UNDP, OCHA, and UNOPS said that without immediate fuel deliveries, essential services — including hospitals, water desalination, food distribution, and sanitation — could come to a halt.

“Without fuel, these lifelines will vanish for 2.1 million people,” the statement read, adding that hospitals are “already going dark”.

“Fuel must be allowed into Gaza in sufficient quantities and consistently to sustain life-saving operations.”