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Last update - 15:59 11/11/2008
UN: Gaza food aid to halt if Israel keeps crossings closed
By News Agencies
Tags: fuel, Gaza, Israel news 

A United Nations aid agency on Tuesday said it would have to halt food distribution to 750,000 needy Gazans by Friday if Israel kept the territory sealed.

Agency spokesman Chris Gunness said food stockpiles are running low. Israel has not said when it will re-open the crossings.

It had closed them and blocked shipments of European Union-funded fuel for a week in response to a surge in rocket attacks by Palestinian militants, who said they were responding to an Israel Defense Forces raid that killed six gunmen on Nov. 4. The army said the raid was launched in order to foil the planned kidnapping of an IDF soldier by Gaza militants.
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Earlier Tuesday, Israel renewed fuel deliveries to the Gaza Strip, ending a week-long suspension of supplies that led to blackouts in the Hamas-controlled enclave where militants had launched cross-border rocket attacks.

About half of Gaza's 1.5 million residents lost power on Monday when their sole power plant shut down, due to what Palestinian officials said was a lack of fuel.

The violence disrupted a ceasefire that began in June.

Palestinian workers said the first delivery was received at the Nahal Oz fuel depot and was on its way to the power plant.

Israel is the sole provider of industrial fuel for Gaza's only power plant. The officials said Barak agreed to a request from peace envoy Tony Blair, and Israel will allow minimal amounts of fuel for the power plant to enter Gaza starting Tuesday. Otherwise, the border crossings will remain closed, they said.

The decision to resume the deliveries came despite a rocket attack on Israel Monday afternoon. The military said Palestinian militants fired three rockets at Israel, but two fell short and exploded inside Gaza.

The Israeli closure has also kept journalists from entering the coastal territory for five days, drawing a protest from Tel Aviv-based Foreign Press Association. The FPA, which represents foreign reporters in Israel and the Palestinian territories, called the Israeli move a serious violation of press freedom.

Israeli military spokesman Peter Lerner said crossings would open only for humanitarian reasons, and that journalists would be allowed to leave but not enter.

Gaza energy official Kanan Obeid said the power plant was shut down after sundown. Much of Gaza City was without electricity after nightfall, as some residents started up their own generators.

In a statement, Israel's Foreign Ministry said 70 percent of Gaza's electricity comes over lines directly from Israel, and that continues to flow. Another 17 percent is supplied by Egypt, the statement said, adding that Israel remains committed to the truce.

Gaza residents purchase gas and diesel fuel smuggled in from Egypt, which is expected to alleviate the blackouts as Palestinians switch to private generators. A Palestinian health official said he did not expect any immediate problems because the Health Ministry had backup fuel, but a prolonged cutoff would cause hardship.

Hamas officials warned the Israeli move could further undermine the shaky truce.

"We warn that we have many options, and we will not stand idly by and watch our people die a slow death," said Taher Nunu, a spokesman for the Hamas government in Gaza.

Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai said Hamas is using Gaza's electricity to attack Israel.

"It's a pity that we are falling for this propaganda. I can confirm one thing, if there is only one kilowatt in all of Gaza it will be in one place only - a workshop that manufactures rockets," he told Army Radio. "They are using us. They know us. They know our sensitivity to humanitarian issues and they are playing with it."



Related articles:
  • Hamas: No room to implement long-term truce with Israel
  • IDF: Army may need to respond to fresh terror alerts from Gaza
  • Israel agrees to lift aid ban on Gaza Strip for one day
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      1.   Israel is the laughing stock of the world 23:15  |  TOMY 10/11/08
      2.   This is disappointing 00:33  |  Axel 11/11/08
      3.   Direct delivery of fuel to hospitals 01:10  |  Great White North 11/11/08
      4.   Vilnai speaks plain truth 02:37  |  Dr Noam 11/11/08
      5.   A humanitarian exchange 02:40  |  MARK KLEIN, M.D. 11/11/08
      6.   With leaders like these, maybe us Jews are too stupid ... 03:07  |  Yossi 11/11/08
      7.   Why give them anything 07:12  |  Daniel 11/11/08
      8.   Daniel you are not giving them anything 08:13  |  EU pays for 11/11/08
      9.   Daniel in Tel Aviv - No Gift 08:20  |  Mark of Lewiston 11/11/08
      10.   what about palestinian kidnap victums and 08:57  |  POW`s and political 11/11/08
      11.   Many options, Mr Nunu One of them is peace 09:10  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 11/11/08
      12.   What a punitive mindset the Deputy reflects .. 09:20  |  Dutch 11/11/08
      13.   Dr. Noam, stop feeding into paranoid thinking.... 10:11  |  Dutch 11/11/08
      14.   Aren`t Jews supposed to be SMART? 10:23  |  Yaakov K. 11/11/08
      15.   MISSILES are war.When has the enemy ever been resupplied 10:32  |  PETER SM 11/11/08
      16.   Typical Israeli spin 10:32  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/11/08
      17.   DORIS Wants to fire missiles at Israel without consequences 10:40  |  PETER SM 11/11/08
      18.   EU pays.Who is stopping Egypt delivering directly? 10:47  |  PETER SM 11/11/08
      19.   MORE FUN AND GAMES WITH THE CLOWN PRINCE ! 10:52  |  v.hardman 11/11/08
      20.   @TOMY 10:56  |  Ralph 11/11/08
      21.   doris cadigan on the soap box again 11:19  |  victor hardman 11/11/08
      22.   Children and their families sobs Chris into his beer 11:38  |  sob 11/11/08
      23.   #14 Typical Linthwaiti spin 11:39  |  Hastaroth 11/11/08
      24.   #22 sob 11:49  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/11/08
      25.   #23 Hastharoth 11:51  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/11/08
      26.   To those taking convertite Lintwit seriously,his obtuse 12:09  |  Absolute Sweden 11/11/08
      27.   Gefreiter Axelchen`s Grandad protested against Allied bombing of 12:11  |  Absolute Sweden 11/11/08
      28.   Todays Qassim 12:28  |  Yakov 11/11/08
      29.   WOW - Wasn`t it just yesterday that Barak sad NO 12:36  |  Kobi 11/11/08
      30.   Linthwaite`s single eye 22 12:45  |  ChanahS 11/11/08
      31.   # 24, # 25 Chris : Nobel Prize: you already have the clue... 12:49  |  Israeli citizen 11/11/08
      32.   #22 cl for clueless in the uk and war is bad 13:03  |  victor hardman 11/11/08
      33.   Why does Europe fund Hamas fuel bills???? 13:04  |  Craig 11/11/08
      34.   #30 Chanah S 13:12  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/11/08
      35.   #25 Linthwaite 13:15  |  Hastaroth 11/11/08
      36.   #31 Israeli Citizen 13:17  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/11/08
      37.   #32 Victor Hardman 14:57  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/11/08
      38.   Chris the ditz says `Israel started this...` #22 14:57  |  sob...weep 11/11/08
      39.   How Chinese government cheats 14:58  |  annonymous 11/11/08
      40.   No more charity for Gaza until Shalit is home 15:06  |  Realist 11/11/08
      41.   Clue how to open the crossings and resume supplies 15:13  |  sob...weep...howl 11/11/08
      42.   Clueless Linthwit expects us to lie down & take it 15:19  |  Free Gilad Shalit 11/11/08
      43.   Food and fuel for Shalit 15:21  |  MARK KLEIN, M.D. 11/11/08
      44.   #24,25:Chris Linthwaite, Why lie to make your point? 15:43  |  DOC HOLLIDAY 11/11/08
      45.   UN 15:49  |  Dani 11/11/08
      46.   #37 clueless in gaza and more tripe from chris 15:49  |  victor hardman 11/11/08
      47.   To Nr 30 15:56  |  Choice 11/11/08
      48.   It is a macabre dance 16:01  |  Bitin Dawg 11/11/08
      49.   let them grow their food in the coastal greenhouses 16:24  |  Richard S 11/11/08
      50.   Better Answer 16:32  |  Dave Duncan 11/11/08
      51.   Half measures are for weaklings 16:38  |  Natallie Durson 11/11/08
      52.   Chris the ditz more bullsh..... 16:41  |  sob...weep 11/11/08
      53.   and the viscious cycle of taking care of murderers continues! 16:43  |  glenna 11/11/08
      54.   Israel`s scandalous siege of Gaza 17:20  |  S.Awaad 11/11/08
      55.   #1, TOMY, not the laughing stock... 17:24  |  Silvienne 11/11/08
      56.   Why Did Israel Close the Border in the First Place 17:29  |  Miri 11/11/08
      57.   About time 17:45  |  Gee 11/11/08
      58.   To N.Durson 17:54  |  B.Saleem 11/11/08
      59.   Mindless - if unitentional - support for Hamas 17:58  |  Mark Lincoln 11/11/08
      60.   LET `EM GO THROUGH EGYPT!!!!!! 18:21  |  B`Galil 11/11/08
      61.   HOW ABOUT FOOD FOR GILAD? SEEMS FAIR. 18:23  |  B`Galil 11/11/08
      62.   Even Exchange Kassam`s Equal No Food 18:23  |  * BEN JABO 11/11/08
      63.   And what about Gilead Shalit? 18:24  |  Jean Van Daem 11/11/08
      64.   #55 Silvienne - Since when is Israel required 18:33  |  * BEN JABO 11/11/08
      65.   #38 18:39  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/11/08
      66.   #60 B`Galil 18:42  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/11/08
      67.   #46 Victor Hardman aka Paul Harris 18:58  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/11/08
      68.   #52 if that is the case 19:07  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/11/08
      69.   Agree with Dursson 19:43  |  Thierry 11/11/08
      70.   Oh well - it`ll have to come in via Rafah instead 19:43  |  Clickfool 11/11/08
      71.   Arrogant, entitlement and distortion 19:44  |  R`fael Moshe 11/11/08
      72.   We have no obligations to an independent entity 19:45  |  Arie 11/11/08
      73.   Mark Lincoln #59 19:55  |  JoJo 11/11/08
      74.   Chris no Gaza bombing 20:16  |  sob 11/11/08
      75.   Chris asks me why Gaza does things 20:22  |  melting tears 11/11/08
      76.   Fool #70 20:43  |  JoJo 11/11/08
      77.   I have told Natallie many times: Israel is weak 21:20  |  Israeli citizen 11/11/08
      78.   #55 silvienne MAKES me LAUGH (retry) 21:30  |  CK Tan 11/11/08
      79.   #55 silvienne MAKES me LAUGH 21:45  |  CK Tan 11/11/08
      80.   #26 27 21:57  |  Kimmo 11/11/08
      81.   #64, Ben Jabo...thanks for small mercies! 22:15  |  Silvienne 11/11/08
      82.   For Arie Golan # 72 22:15  |  Clickfool 11/11/08
      83.   How do you mean - "charity" - Realist? # 40 22:21  |  Clickfool 11/11/08
      84.   ClickFool 22:23  |  Dr Noam 11/11/08
      85.   #62, Ben Jabo... 22:51  |  Silvienne 11/11/08
      86.   #83, Clickfool... 22:54  |  Silvienne 11/11/08
      87.   fool#82 22:59  |  JoJo 11/11/08
      88.   talk to hammas the democratic expression of the pals 23:19  |  ralph 11/11/08
      89.   What we have here is a failure to hold on to a moral compass 23:19  |  Labhras 11/11/08
      90.   # 8 EU pays for it - Indeed, Egypt should sell 23:48  |  17 11/11/08
      91.   Re: Durson # 51 23:53  |  Angel 11/11/08
      92.   Chris Linthwaite - Spin 23:57  |  17 11/11/08
      93.   # 25 Chris Linthwaite 23:59  |  17 11/11/08
      94.   86, Poor, poor Labhras 00:22  |  Henry Blofeld 12/11/08
      95.   Labhras the new Jesus? prays against Israel 00:34  |  Israeli citizen 12/11/08
      96.   `17` #90 i agree egypt should sell directly to gaza 00:47  |  and further 12/11/08
      97.   #94, Henry Blofeld to Labhras.... 00:50  |  Silvienne 12/11/08
      98.   #92, 17, a question.... 00:52  |  Silvienne 12/11/08
      99.   what goes around comes around 00:58  |  beware 12/11/08
      100.   17, please grow up, Chris is exactly right... 01:11  |  BBSNews 12/11/08
      101.   For 70 years now we have had an Arab boycott and seige 01:13  |  Gee 12/11/08
      102.   WHATS wrong with food from high tech hothouses? 01:36  |  PETER SM 12/11/08
      103.   81 Silvienne 01:40  |  * BEN JABO 12/11/08
      104.   #85 Silvienne - 01:45  |  * BEN JABO 12/11/08
      105.   #85-2 Silvienne - Sorry, did you say "clay pigeons" 01:49  |  * BEN JABO 12/11/08
      106.   silvienne and clickfool 01:55  |  strange 12/11/08
      107.   labhras 01:57  |  strange 12/11/08
      108.   #85 again SILVIENNE 02:02  |  * BEN JABO 12/11/08
      109.   disgusting 02:28  |  a jew 12/11/08
      110.   Words mean 03:00  |  Not a Dhimmi no more 12/11/08
      111.   demographic problem 03:14  |  Capt Ahab 12/11/08
      112.   #109 03:17  |  Rab Burns 12/11/08
      113.   Re: Disgusting #109 03:28  |  Angel 12/11/08
      114.   embarrassment 03:57  |  a jew 12/11/08
      115.   #101 Gee, Israel`s responsibility under international law 04:09  |  Ben Alofs 12/11/08
      116.   He didn`t really say THAT, did he? 04:27  |  PADDY 12/11/08
      117.   #113 (Everything but an) Angel 04:29  |  Ben Alofs 12/11/08
      118.   #113, Angel, you have a bloody nerve... 04:37  |  Silvienne 12/11/08
      119.   #103, Ben Jabo... 04:45  |  Silvienne 12/11/08
      120.   #105, Ben Jabo...!!!! (improved bullets) 04:52  |  Silvienne 12/11/08
      121.   #85, Ben Jabo... 05:03  |  Silvienne 12/11/08
      122.   serbia with nukes 05:37  |  a jew 12/11/08
      123.   #117, Ben Alofts... 05:40  |  Silvienne 12/11/08
      124.   #116, PADDY... 05:42  |  Silvienne 12/11/08
      125.   #119 Silvienne - I told you this before 05:53  |  * BEN JABO 12/11/08
      126.   ben alofs 05:55  |  a jew 12/11/08
      127.   Silvienne a warning 06:01  |  Golani 12/11/08
      128.   #120 Silvienne - Clay pigeons don`t look like birds 06:03  |  * BEN JABO 12/11/08
      129.   #121 Silvienne - That`s a complicated question 06:13  |  * BEN JABO 12/11/08
      130.   Silvienne... 06:28  |  PADDY 12/11/08
      131.   B.ALOFS. Gazans can use Egyptian borders. 07:23  |  PETER SM 12/11/08
      132.   BALOFS.Bombing Israeli civillians has been ongoing including the 08:02  |  PETER SM 12/11/08
      133.   Re: Paddy No. 130 08:07  |  Angel 12/11/08
      134.   #70 clickfool`s pitiful SENILITY 08:33  |  CK Tan 12/11/08
      135.   #113 08:50  |  Rab Burns 12/11/08
      136.   #131 Angel in New York - wasn`t that a movie title?) 09:04  |  PADDY 12/11/08
      137.   Americans are beyond disgust & outrage for Israel. 09:23  |  Dutch 12/11/08
      138.   #100 bbs, as USUAL, is, EXACTLY right. 10:32  |  CK Tan 12/11/08
      139.   Re: #136 15:25  |  Angel 12/11/08
      140.   #130 Silvienne - We`ve gone over that Human Shield 16:21  |  * BEN JABO 12/11/08
      141.   136 PADDY - Just for you 16:28  |  * BEN JABO 12/11/08
      142.   #125, Ben Jabo, yes, but the thing is... 18:05  |  Silvienne 12/11/08
      143.   #126, a jew...read Golani`s post to me for info 18:06  |  Silvienne 12/11/08
      144.   #130, PADDY... 18:15  |  Silvienne 12/11/08
      145.   #139, Nice generalisation there, Angel... 18:19  |  Silvienne 12/11/08
      146.   #127, Golani, thanks for your post... 18:29  |  Silvienne 12/11/08
      147.   #128, Ben Jabo...very glad to read this! 18:54  |  Silvienne 12/11/08
      148.   #129, Ben Jabo...guns 19:05  |  Silvienne 12/11/08
      149.   #140, Ben Jabo...neither did I! 19:07  |  Silvienne 12/11/08
      150.   #142 Silvienne - Stop guessing 16:33  |  * BEN JABO 13/11/08
      151.   #147 Silvienne - Guns again? 16:37  |  * BEN JABO 13/11/08
      152.   #148 Silvienne 16:42  |  * BEN JABO 13/11/08
      153.   #150, Ben Jabo... 18:21  |  Silvienne 13/11/08
      154.   #151 Silvienne - Hamas claims they`re Democratic 12:34  |  * BEN JABO 14/11/08
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