GAZA STRIP – Israel today allowed Qatar-funded gasoline to enter Gaza to fuel the only power station of the Palestinian enclave after a 49-day suspension.
After Israel’s permission, 17 tankers carrying the fuel passed through the Kerem Shalom cargo crossing to Gaza, Anadolu Agency reported.
During the 11-day war that started on May 10, the Tel Aviv administration banned the entrance of the fuel funded by Qatar into Gaza.
Since 2006, the Gaza Strip has groaned under a crippling Israeli blockade that has deprived its roughly two million inhabitants of many vital commodities, including food, fuel, and medicine.
The seaside enclave suffers a major electricity crisis due to a shortage of supplies from Israel.
The Gaza Strip requires some 600MW of electricity, of which only 210MW is currently available, to meet the needs of its teeming population.
Gaza currently has three sources of electricity: Israel, which provides 120MW; Egypt, which supplies 32MW; and the strip’s sole power plant, which generates between 40 and 60MW.
The lack of fuel supply frequently forces its sole power plant to shut down completely, causing power cuts of up to 18 hours a day throughout Gaza. – The Vibes, June 29, 2021
