In response to a "special request" from the United States, Israel's war cabinet has decided to allow two trucks of fuel, totaling 140,000 liters (37,000 gallons), to enter Gaza every two days. The move aims to keep the besieged enclave's water and sewage systems operational, as Israel's forces continue their air and ground siege of the territory.

The fuel supply ban, which was imposed by Israel at the start of its military campaign in Gaza on October 7, has created acute shortages that have threatened aid deliveries and communications within the strip.

Tzachi Hanegbi, the national security adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stressed the importance of the fuel for the operation of the sewage and water systems managed by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA). Hanegbi emphasized that preventing the spread of epidemics was a key motive behind the decision, as such outbreaks would endanger both the civilians in Gaza and Israeli military personnel. He described the quantity of fuel allowed as "very minimal."

The decision from Israel's war cabinet comes after intense pressure from the United States, which had been urging Israel to allow fuel into Gaza for some time. The US State Department revealed that Israel has committed to allowing in 120,000 liters (31,700 gallons) of fuel every 48 hours for UNRWA's trucks and other essential needs, including desalination of water, sewage pumping, and powering bakeries and hospitals in southern Gaza.

Additionally, an extra 20,000 liters (5,300 gallons) of fuel will be permitted every two days to power the generators of telecoms company Paltel, which had warned of an imminent blackout of its cellphone network due to the fuel shortage.

However, aid groups have criticized the fuel ration, arguing that it falls far short of the actual needs.

The decision to allow limited supplies of fuel into Gaza has faced criticism from some quarters within Israel. The far-right faction views the provision of fuel as a humanitarian gesture that should only be made after the release of Israeli captives held by Hamas. Critics argue that allowing fuel into Gaza gives diplomatic leeway for Israel to continue its military campaign.

Andreas Krieg, a senior lecturer of security studies at King's College London, pointed out that Israel's decision to allow limited fuel supplies into Gaza is not solely driven by empathy. Instead, it seeks to ease international concerns and pressures, particularly from Israel's Western allies, who are increasingly calling for an end to the ongoing siege. The Biden administration, in particular, has expressed deep concerns about the humanitarian consequences of the fuel shortage for Gaza's 2.3 million residents.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made calls to members of Israel's war cabinet on Wednesday to stress the urgency of addressing the fuel shortage and to warn of the potential humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

As the situation continues to unfold, the delivery of limited fuel supplies to Gaza raises questions about the long-term sustainability of essential services and the impact of ongoing hostilities on the civilian population.

It remains to be seen whether Israel's allowance of limited fuel supplies will alleviate the immediate crisis or if further actions will be required to fully address the humanitarian needs in Gaza.