Security sources: Gaza's power shortage worse than expected - Haaretz

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Tue., January 22, 2008 Shvat 15, 5768

Israel Time: 02:23 (EST+7)

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Security sources: Gaza's power shortage worse than expected

By Avi Issacharoff, Amos Harel, Yuval Azoulay and Mijal Grinberg

Gaza City was dark last night after the Hamas government shut down the Palestinian power plant that supplies some of the electricity in the Strip.

Hamas spokesmen blamed Israel for the power shortage following the closure of the border crossings through which fuel for the power plant is brought into Gaza, but Israel said it is providing 75 percent of Gaza's electricity and Egypt is providing another 5 percent.

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Nonetheless, security officials said last night that the electrical supply difficulties in Gaza were greater than Israel had previously thought. They said the fuel supply to Gaza was tens of percent less than planned, a problem exacerbated by the closure.

"There is certainly a shortage of fuel," a security official said. "Nonetheless, it's clear that Hamas is blowing up the crisis for its needs, in order to take advantage of the pictures of darkness in Gaza for its public relations needs in the Arab world and the international community."

The border crossings between Gaza and Israel remained closed yesterday, as ordered by Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Thursday due to the escalation of Qassam rocket fire targeting southern Israel. Hamas announced the shutdown of the power plant yesterday morning, which the director of Gaza's electric company, Rafik Maliha, attributed to a shortage of the fuel needed to run the plant.

Despite the blackout in Gaza City, southern and central Gaza - which receive electricity from Israel and Egypt directly - were not affected by the shutdown.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert decided yesterday that the Israel Defense Forces will continue operating in the Gaza Strip, where troops have been targeting Palestinians firing barrages of Qassam rockets at southern Israel.

Gaza residents stood on long lines outside bakeries yesterday, fearing that the closure would make it hard for them to get basic food provisions. There is no critical food shortage so far, but the Hamas government and Israeli security officials agree that a serious humanitarian crisis could result in the next few days if food products are not allowed into Gaza.

Hospitals continued to operate in Gaza yesterday, but expressed concern that the fuel shortage could affect them as well.

Barak has decided to intensify the military and economic pressure on the Hamas government, including a total closure of the border crossings and an order to step up the hunt for rocket-launching cells and those responsible for sending them. However, government officials said that practically speaking, the closure began only yesterday because the crossings are normally closed over the weekend.

The Israel Air Force fired a missile last night that struck a wagon loaded with Qassam rockets. The army said the wagon, which was near the Jabalya refugee camp, was transporting rockets to launch sites in northern Gaza. The Palestinians reported that the strike killed one person and wounded several.

Palestinians fired five Qassam rockets and two mortar shells at the western Negev yesterday.

An Israeli security official warned yesterday against moving too fast. "We have to be cautious both in terms of this decision, and of making quick moves, for fear that a humanitarian crisis in Gaza will serve the Hamas government, unite the ranks within the Strip, and all the hatred will be turned to us," he said.

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