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UN: Fuel withheld in Gaza
14/04/2008 21:15 - (SA)
Jerusalem - Gaza's main fuel distributor is holding back one million litres of fuel, UN figures showed on Monday a day after Israel claimed Hamas was stage-managing a crisis in the Palestinian territory.
However, a UN official who requested anonymity said that the current stocks of fuel and industrial gasoline stored in Gaza are sufficient for only several days.
"The general petroleum association refuses to distribute in protest of the lack of supply of fuel by Israel," he said.
The Palestinian General Petroleum Corporation is responsible for the distribution of fuel across the Hamas-run territory, where the union of petrol station owners went on strike several days ago in protest at the fuel cuts.
Israel shut the Nahal Oz crossing and fuel terminal on Wednesday after a raid by Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli employees and shattered a month-long lull in violence.
Terminal will remain closed
An Israeli army spokesperson told AFP that the terminal will remain closed for several days as the army was examining ways to beef up security procedures there in the wake of the deadly attack.
Palestinian officials have warned that the acute fuel shortages could close Gaza's main power plant and reduce the impoverished territory to a standstill.
Gaza's petrol stations have been closed for several days in protest at the insufficient supply of fuel by Israel, which has placed Gaza under a punishing lockdown since Hamas seized control of the territory last June.
The UN official said that one million litres of fuel are being held on the Palestinian side of the terminal - enough to supply Gaza with just over two days' worth of fuel for cars and electricity generators.
"Israel cannot pump more fuel because there is no place to store it, since the general petroleum association is looking for guarantees from Israel to supply more fuel. This is a logjam," the official said.
According to UN figures, Gaza's daily fuel consumption stands at 360 000 litres of diesel and 100 000 litres of regular petrol.
In addition, there are 1.2 million litres of industrial gasoline stored in Gaza for the power plant, enough for three days.
Insufficient number of products entering Gaza
Gaza's power plant provides around 30% of the strip's electricity, with most of the rest supplied from Israel and a small amount from Egypt.
The UN official also said that there was "a clear increase" in the number of trucks crossing from Israel into Gaza carrying humanitarian aid and basic supplies in March compared with the previous month.
More than 27 800 trucks filled with basic supplies - mainly food, drugs, cleaning products and construction material - entered Gaza through the four crossings with Israel in March.
Another 430 trucks carrying humanitarian aid also reached Gaza last month, he said.
He warned, however, that "there is an insufficient number of products entering Gaza."
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