Palestinians gather at the site of an Israeli strike in the courtyard of the Al-Aqsa Hospital where displaced people live in tents, in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Saturday, November 9, 2024. (AP)

A severe fuel shortage in Gaza has plunged the southern city of Khan Younis into a worsening humanitarian crisis, leaving over 1.2 million residents without access to clean water, Palestinian officials warned on Saturday.

In a statement, local authorities revealed that critical services, including water wells and desalination plants, have ceased operations due to the persistent lack of fuel.

The suspension of sewage treatment facilities further threatens to flood the city's streets with untreated wastewater, raising fears of environmental and public health disasters.

"This fuel stoppage has disrupted essential services and placed lives at risk," officials said, urging the international community and UN agencies to intervene.

They called for immediate pressure on "Israel" to resume fuel supplies and allow the entry of essential equipment and spare parts, warning that the complete collapse of public services is imminent.

Gaza's infrastructure in ruins

The situation is part of a broader humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, which has been under siege since October 2023.

Israeli authorities have systematically blocked the entry of lifesaving supplies, including food, medicine, fuel, and tents, exacerbating the dire conditions.

Critical infrastructure, including water networks, sanitation systems, and bread mills, has been destroyed, leaving the territory on the brink of collapse.

Palestinian officials accused "Israel" of "destroying all aspects of life" in Gaza through its ongoing blockade and genocidal operations.

The lack of basic services has left residents struggling to survive amid a rapidly escalating disaster.

Calls for International Action

As the crisis deepens, Palestinian leaders are urging swift action from the global community to alleviate the suffering of Gaza's 2.3 million residents.

"The international community must not stand idly by as the people of Gaza are denied basic human rights," they said in their statement.

Meanwhile, humanitarian groups warn that unless urgent action is taken to restore essential services, Gaza's already dire situation could spiral into an unprecedented catastrophe.