Gaza Priest Gabriel Romanelli Details Severe Fuel and Transport Shortages

Father Gabriel Romanelli, the Argentinian pastor of the Sacra Famiglia parish in Gaza, said that basic mobility has become almost impossible amid the war. Vehicles that the parish owned before the conflict are now inoperable due to a lack of spare parts; the clergy have even swapped a car battery to keep another vehicle running. The last operational vehicle is at risk of total failure because of degraded engine oil and a diesel system clogged with debris.

Fuel is scarce and extremely costly – a litre of diesel can cost about $13 – and the parish resorts to producing low‑quality diesel from recycled plastic and nylon. The poor fuel threatens generators and transport alike. At one point the priest considered replacing the vehicles with a donkey‑drawn cart, but the price of a donkey has surged from roughly 1,000‑2,000 shekels before the war to about 50,000 shekels now (≈ $16,000‑$17,000). Reliable transport is essential for reaching hospitals, schools, workplaces and for delivering aid, yet most roads are destroyed.

Romanelli noted a rare positive sign: Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government had granted some form of approval to aid efforts, though details were not provided.