NOVELTY - Operation of a fuel cell system comprises directing an oxidant stream to a fuel cell cathode(s) via an oxidant entry port; directing gaseous methanol to a fuel cell anode(s) via a fuel entry port; operating a fuel cell assembly so that water is produced at the cathode and carbon dioxide is produced at the anode; and recirculating a gaseous anode exhaust stream in an anode recirculation loop.    USE - For operating a fuel cell system i.e. gas phase direct methanol fuel cell system for an electronic device (e.g. cell phones and other telecommunication devices, video and audio consumer electronics equipment, computer laptops, computer notebooks, personal digital assistants and other computing devices, and global positioning sensor devices), power supply (for residential, industrial, commercial power systems and locomotive power such as automobiles), and an electric motor (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The system is more compact, has lower parasitic losses, and reduced system cost and complexity.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Operation of a fuel cell system comprises directing an oxidant stream to a fuel cell cathode(s) via an oxidant entry port; directing gaseous methanol to a fuel cell anode(s) via a fuel entry port; operating the fuel cell assembly so that water is produced at the cathode and carbon dioxide is produced at the anode; and recirculating a gaseous anode exhaust stream in an anode recirculation loop. The fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell assembly including anode comprising catalyst layer, fuel entry port, fuel flow field in fluid communication with the anode, and fuel exhaust port; cathode comprising catalyst layer, oxidant entry port, oxidant flow field in fluid communication with the cathode, and oxidant exhaust port; polymer electrolyte membrane interposed between the anode and the cathode; and anode recirculation loop in fluid communication with the fuel exhaust port and the fuel inlet port. An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for a gas phase fuel cell system.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure is a fuel cell system diagram that uses a combined coolant oxidant cathode gas stream, which has a cathode gas diffusion layer incorporating properties to retain water, to induce water diffusion from the cathode to the anode for reaction with a gaseous fuel, where temperatures shown in the diagram are for illustrative purposes, other operating temperatures of the fuel cell stack and temperatures for the ambient air may be utilized.