An-Najah News - UN officaial called on Israel to immediately allow entry of fuel and other essential goods into the besieged Gaza Strip to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe.

United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator Jamie McGoldrick said “The deterioration witnessed in recent weeks in the Gaza Strip is of grave concern".

 he said in a statement, explaining that with an escalation of hostilities in the area, “Israel has limited the transfer of certain goods into the blockaded coastal enclave, reduced the permissible fishing area and prevented fuel deliveries, including the UN-facilitated fuel for Gaza’s sole Power Plant.

This caused that Gaza Power Plant ceased operations on 18 August, sharply reducing electricity provision to nearly 2 million Palestinians".

This can be added to the significant deterioration in the health situation, on 24 August, the first cases of COVID-19 outside the quarantine facilities were confirmed.