West Bank fuel shortage driven by liquidity crunch and regional oil supply strain

Palestinian authorities confirmed that fuel deliveries to the West Bank continue daily, but a combination of cash‑flow problems, a shortage of shekel funds and limited Israeli‑controlled shipments has created a sharp shortage at stations. The fuel union reported that only about three million litres arrived via the Tulkarm and Na'alin crossings in recent days, with deliveries suspended on several days, prompting officials to urge consumers not to hoard petrol.

At the same time, the International Energy Agency noted that member countries have drawn roughly 290 million barrels from strategic emergency oil reserves since March, while retaining over a billion barrels for further shocks. The withdrawals are a response to heightened geopolitical tension around the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al‑Mandab corridor, adding pressure on regional oil markets and influencing the fuel situation in the Palestinian territories.