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Israel cutting down Gaza aid
23/01/2008 21:18 - (SA)
Gaza City - Israel has allowed in less aid than it had promised when it eased a punishing blockade of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip this week, said officials on Wednesday.
Gaza's sole power plant received 200 000 litres of fuel oil on Wednesday, in addition to 750 000 litres the previous day, said director Rafiq Maliha.
Late on Monday, when announcing an easing of the Gaza lockdown, Israeli officials said 2.2 million litres would be allowed in for the plant, enough to keep it running for one week.
Israeli defence ministry spokesperson Shlomo Dror said on Wednesday that "yesterday we allowed in enough fuel for the power plant to run for one week".
"New deliveries will be considered after we examine the situation."
The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) also said it was getting in less supplies than anticipated.
"There are doubts about whether the promised amount of trucks (with humanitarian aid) are going to be let in," said UNRWA spokesperson Christopher Gunness.
'Serious shortages'
"It looks like we're only going to get in 13 a day instead of the promised 50. We hope this is not the case; otherwise there are going to be serious shortages."
On Monday, foreign ministry spokesperson Arye Mekel said Israel would allow 2.2 million litres of fuel in to Gaza for its power plant, another 500 000 litres of fuel for generators and cooking gas and 50 truckloads of humanitarian aid.
Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak ordered the Gaza Strip sealed last Thursday in a move aimed at halting persistent rocket fire from the territory where Islamist Hamas violently seized power seven months ago.
- AFP
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