Hamas denies rejection of fuel supply offered for Gaza hospitals

The Gaza-based Palestinian resistance movement made the remarks in a late Sunday statement concerning the supply of 300 liters of fuel allegedly offered by the occupying regime for Gaza's al-Shifa Hospital.

"As part of the series of lies that the occupation spreads [on a] daily [basis], the spokesman for its Nazi army said they had offered the administration of al-Shifa Hospital to supply the hospital with a quantity of fuel, but the Hamas movement refused it," the statement said.

Stressing that the hospital's needs for fuel far outweighed such a scanty supply, Hamas said, "The offer belittled the pain and suffering of the patients who are trapped inside without water, food, or electricity. This quantity was not enough to operate hospital generators for more than thirty minutes."

The movement noted that the occupying regime of Israel "sought through this offer to launch a cheap propaganda campaign to beautify its ugly face and hide its crimes against humanity, its bombing of hospitals, its killing of medical staff, and its endangering the lives of patients by cutting off fuel, water, and medicines" to Gaza.

Hamas also renewed its call on the United Nations and the international community to immediate intervene to bring fuel into the Gaza Strip to help hospitals work "and to stop flagrant violations of international laws by the fascist occupation entity."

The movement emphasized that it plays no role in decisions made by the hospital's management and was not part of its decision-making structures, adding, "The hospital is completely subject to the authority of the Palestinian Health Ministry."

Israel began its war on Gaza on October 7 following an operation by the territory's resistance groups. More than 11,000 Palestinians, including 4,506 children, have been killed, and 27,490 others sustained injuries so far.

The regime has also cut off the flow of basic supplies such as water, electricity, medicines, and fuel to the densely-populated territory that houses over two million Palestinians.

According to Gaza's Health Ministry, 21 out of 35 hospitals with inpatient facilities have stopped functioning either due to damage from Israeli shelling and airstrikes or lack of fuel.

Gaza's deputy health minister, Youssef Abu Rish, said on Sunday that fuel shortage at al-Shifa Hospital has claimed the lives of five premature babies and seven critically ill patients, adding, "We fear the toll will rise further by morning."

Throughout the war, the occupying regime has been staging scores of attacks against the healthcare system across Gaza, including hospitals and ambulances, alleging that they are used to either accommodate or transport Palestinian fighters. The World Health Organization has recorded at least 137 Israeli attacks on healthcare staff in Gaza, killing 521 people and injuring 686 others.

Separately, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres decried "collective punishment" of Palestinians by Israel under the excuse of Hamas' operation against the regime.

Speaking to CNN, Guterres also regretted that as many as 101 UN personnel have died since the regime unleashed its genocidal war on the Palestinian territory.