A third convoy of humanitarian aid trucks delivered water, food and medicine to the besieged Gaza Strip on Monday, but the United Nations warned that fuel was not included and reserves would run out within the next two days.
Twenty trucks entered Gaza via Rafah, taking the total to 54 trucks since Saturday, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
"They can see the bottom of the fuel tank," Dujarric said of UNRWA. "We're talking days. And when that happens, that will be truly devastating, on top of what is already a devastating humanitarian situation."
The UN said no fuel would mean a water desalination plant could not function along with bakeries and hospitals.
Humanitarian deliveries through the Rafah crossing from Egypt began on Saturday after wrangling over procedures for inspecting the aid and bombardments on the Gaza side of the border had left relief materials stranded in Egypt.
Rafah is the main crossing in and out of Gaza that does not border Israel.
A US special envoy is negotiating with Israel, Egypt and the United Nations to create a "sustained delivery mechanism" to get aid into Gaza after aid convoys began crossing into the strip from Egypt.
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the possible diversion of fuel by Hamas was an "issue that we are discussing now with Israeli authorities".
- Reuters
Look back over Tuesday's updates with RNZ's blog:
