Iraq sends 10 million liters of fuel to Gaza via Egypt
The Iraqi oil tanker Sumer was seen docked at Khor Al-Zubair Port in southern Iraq on September 28, 2023. Photo: Iraqi Oil Ministry
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi government announced on Thursday that it sent a fuel tanker to Egypt to provide relief to the Palestinians besieged in the Gaza Strip.
Zidan Khalaf Obaid, Advisor to the Prime Minister of Iraq on Human Rights, confirmed that an Iraqi tanker carrying 10 million liters of fuel has left the port of Basra, heading to Egypt’s Suez Canal to help the Palestinians in Gaza.
Khalaf added that the Iraqi government is planning to send further relief cargoes in the future.
The step comes as humanitarian organizations reported serious challenges, including hospitals struggling to function due to fuel supply shortages.
The ongoing fuel crisis in Gaza has raised international concerns, with organizations stressing the urgent need for support to ensure the provision of minimum civilian requirements.
Although Israeli authorities confirmed that they allowed enough fuel into Gaza, reports indicate that shortages still exist, raising questions about the distribution and accessibility of these vital resources.
Israeli authorities claim that Hamas is deliberately seizing and hiding the fuel to create what seems to be a humanitarian crisis. In response, Hamas denied these accusations and asserted that Israeli restrictions are the main reason for insufficient fuel supplies.
Health officials in Gaza estimate that since October 7, over 20,000 Palestinians have lost their lives. This comes after 1,200 Israelis were killed and around 220 others were taken hostages by Hamas militants in an unexpected attack, according to Israeli authorities.