Gaza’s sole power plan shuts down

The Palestinian Energy Authority declared that Gaza’s sole power plant stopped working Saturday due to “the General Petroleum Authority’s procedure of disrupting the entry of sufficient amounts of fuel into the power station.”

In a statement issued on Friday, the authority blamed Israel for closing Karem Abu Salem border crossing, through which goods and fuel enter into the Gaza Strip, till Tuesday under the pretext of Jewish holidays.

The statement lashed out at the General Petroleum Authority (GPA) in Ramallah for reducing the plant’s fuel share.

“We made great efforts to push for the opening of Karem Abu Salem crossing exceptionally on Friday but the efforts were unsuccessful,” the authority said.

The authority said that the GPA reduced the fuel quantities allowed into the besieged enclave for unreasonable pretexts, ignoring all national and humanitarian considerations.

For its part, Gaza Electricity Distribution Company declared that daily blackouts of around 12 hours are expected in the coming days.

The company said that dysfunction of the Egyptian electricity feeder lines has deepened the power crisis in the Strip.

The electricity company concluded by calling on the United Nations and international rights institutions to pressure the Israeli authorities to allow the entry of sufficient amounts of fuel needed for operating the power plant.

Gaza’s 1.8 million people have been enduring daily blackouts of around 12 hours due to a fuel shortage caused by the Israeli unfair siege imposed on the Strip since 2007.