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Last update - 22:27 24/04/2008
UN: Food aid to Gazans halted due to Israeli fuel cutoff
By Avi Issacharoff and Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondents and News Agencies
Tags: Gaza-Israel border, Hamas 

An official has said the United Nations stopped distributing food to Palestinian refugees in Gaza because its vehicles have run out of fuel following Israel's blockade of the Strip.

The official, Adnan Abu Hasna, said 700,000 Palestinians who depend on the UN for basic food packets, won't be getting them. He said the United Nations Relief Works Agency used the last of its fuel on Thursday. That forced it to stop distribution.

Israel shipped fuel to Gaza to run its electricity power plant but maintains a ban on gasoline and diesel fuel, following a deadly terror attack at a fuel depot in Nahal Oz on April 9, which left two Israeli civilains killed.
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On Wednesday, the Hamas organization issued notices calling upon the public in the Gaza Strip to arrive en masse at the crossings on the border with Israel after Friday prayers. According to the notices, the purpose of this mass demonstration is to break the blockade imposed by Israel on all the Gaza border crossings when Hamas seized control over the Strip last June.

The demonstrators are not expected to attempt to break down the barriers at the crossing, as was the case In January, when Hamas militants blew holes in the border barrier separating the Gaza Strip and Egypt. However, some violent clashes are expected.

It appears that Hamas is trying to erase from memory the failed anti-Israel demonstrations in February, in which Hamas was planning to create a human chain made up of 40,000 children that was to cross Gaza from north to south. Ultimately, the residents of the Strip did not heed Hamas' calls and the demonstrations, hailed in advance as massive, yielded a disappointing turnout.

The announced border marches will take place two days after Israel renewed the supply of fuel to the Strip, after having cut off the supply following a terror attack at a border crossing last week. On Wednesday, Israel resumed piping industrial diesel fuel to the Palestinian side of the Nahal Oz fuel depot, transferring to the Gaza Strip about a million liters, enough to operate Gaza's power plant for at least three days.

Israel accuses Hamas of fabricating fuel crisis in Gaza Strip


Israel on Thursday accused Hamas of causing a "fabricated fuel crisis" by refusing to collect and distribute the one million liters of fuel Israel has delivered to the salient.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Wednesday that "there is currently no fuel available in the Gaza Strip on the open markets" and as a result the organization would be forced to halt food assistance to 650,000 refugees in the enclave.


However, Foreign Ministry spokesman Arye Mekel said Thursday that the million liters of fuel that Israel transferred to the Gaza Strip three weeks ago are still waiting to be collected on the Palestinian side of the Nahal Oz fuel terminal.

"Hamas can take the fuel but doesn't," he charged, accusing the Islamist organization of deliberately wanting to claim there is a crisis in the Strip.

Residents of the Strip said Hamas officials have taken fuel for their own purposes and given it to high-ranking officials, governmental employees and its own students, but failed to distribute the remainder to the population at large.

Related articles:
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  • Defense panel chief: Terror attacks endanger Gaza fuel supply
  • EU: Israel resumes supply of fuel to Gaza power plant
  • IDF inquiry into Nahal Oz raid highlights security failures
  • At Gaza border with Egypt, masses make reverse exodus into Sinai
  • Gaza protest of Israeli blockade yields disappointing turnout
  • One million liters of diesel piped to Gaza
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      1.   The filth, that agitate civilians to confront soldiers 14:06  |  Shlomo from Tel-Aviv 24/04/08
      2.   Damn them. 14:24  |  Linichka 24/04/08
      3.   The Palestinian people 14:46  |  Rav Harley 24/04/08
      4.   Readers need to understand the underlying factors 14:57  |  Darth Zaider (Ed) 24/04/08
      5.   Hamas` timing 15:12  |  William 24/04/08
      6.   #3 - brutal zionist occupation 15:15  |  William 24/04/08
      7.   Since IDIOTS don`t want FUEL, why not.... 15:26  |  Magnify 24/04/08
      8.   Oops! Bad idea.... Instead of Free petrol.... 15:29  |  The Archives 24/04/08
      9.   Instead of Free Petrol.... 15:35  |  The Archives 24/04/08
      10.   no pal state 15:37  |  ka 24/04/08
      11.   Is this the part of the 10-year cease-fire... 15:37  |  Walter 24/04/08
      12.   Please place Loud Speakers blaring Fuel Offer 15:41  |  The Archives 24/04/08
      13.   Operating against terrorists. 15:50  |  Jean Van Daem 24/04/08
      14.   To # # Darth Zaider - There are no Palistinians 15:52  |  Levi 24/04/08
      15.   I am confused , they want Israel to help 15:52  |  Abdul Aziz Higazi 24/04/08
      16.   To Abdul Aziz Higazi 16:07  |  JonathanInTelAviv 24/04/08
      17.   For Levi: it was satire - please do not take it literally 16:15  |  Darth Zaider (Ed) 24/04/08
      18.   Palestinian lies lies lies 16:22  |  Richard S 24/04/08
      19.   Hamas is right it`s time for Palestinians toshow their opposition 16:35  |  Dutch 24/04/08
      20.   Only Hamas Wardens Can End the Siege 16:42  |  Douglas Fireman 24/04/08
      21.   The main victims of muslim terrorism are muslim 16:43  |  150 000 in Iraq and 24/04/08
      22.   YAY! At least Abdul Aziz no15 got enough Brains! 16:45  |  Me 24/04/08
      23.   Levi, #14 16:57  |  hat 24/04/08
      24.   Hamas`s Siege on Gaza 16:58  |  Avi 24/04/08
      25.   criminals 17:02  |  TAZ 24/04/08
      26.   ##13 to jan van daem 17:05  |  Eric 24/04/08
      27.   Why doesn`t the IDF... 17:21  |  Michael 24/04/08
      28.   RE: Palestinian lies lies lies 17:30  |  mike 24/04/08
      29.   # 14 Levi, You are absolutely correct, I remeber as a teenager in 17:31  |  Haham me Bat Yam 24/04/08
      30.   Olmert refuses to go into Gaza and break the back of Hamas 18:14  |  Dish It Out 24/04/08
      31.   #15 Abdel-Aziz Hijazi 18:29  |  Yoav Ben Zakai 24/04/08
      32.   if they invade, kill them. 18:32  |  frenz 24/04/08
      33.   Watch out for the chanannigans.... 18:35  |  BenRubby 24/04/08
      34.   #15 part II 18:40  |  Yoav Ben Zakai 24/04/08
      35.   #16 Richard , if the Palestinian people were free and ... 18:46  |  Dutch 24/04/08
      36.   Loving the Seige, Cynical & Stupid. 18:56  |  Richie 24/04/08
      37.   A Fork-Tongue Region 19:42  |  DoubleClick 24/04/08
      38.   Of course... 19:45  |  Colin Wright 24/04/08
      39.   Israel`s humanity? 20:16  |  Terence 24/04/08
      40.   Their people are cannon fodder for their leaders 21:04  |  Scharker Yid 24/04/08
      41.   If this story is true,Hamas is being unwise! Gandhi once asked 21:09  |  lakshmi 24/04/08
      42.   Women and Children First! 21:16  |  Hamas 24/04/08
      43.   #14 No Palestinians? Egregious denial will not make them vanish 21:31  |  hala 24/04/08
      44.   Hamas confiscates all the hum.aid and fuel to itself then urges 21:53  |  AliciaYasmeen 24/04/08
      45.   Simple Solution: UN must fuel up in Israel and 22:39  |  Brad 24/04/08
      46.   slowly but surely 22:47  |  RM 24/04/08
      47.   #15 Abdel-Aziz Hijazi 22:58  |  Yoav Ben Zakai 24/04/08
      48.   so israhel is going tostarve them to death huh? 23:17  |  how kosher 24/04/08
      49.   Hamas reponsibility, or rather irresponsibility... 23:17  |  Esther 24/04/08
      50.   In future, have UNWRA members to drive trucks through, 23:56  |  Ron Day 24/04/08
      51.   For Levi: it was satire - please do not take it literally 00:12  |  Darth Zaider (Ed) 25/04/08
      52.   So they have fuel enough for suicide bombers/kidnappers 01:00  |  MaryRose 25/04/08
      53.   650,000 people are about to starve 03:08  |  Chris Linthwaite 25/04/08
      54.   well you know something maryann? 03:11  |  look here 25/04/08
      55.   21 Hamas isn`t the big bad wolf --it`s your land thieves. 03:36  |  Dutch 25/04/08
      56.   I hate you & want you to die, but feed me? 03:37  |  Edward H. 25/04/08
      57.   Article 3 Sec. 3 of US Constitution. Carter is guilty of treason 04:30  |  Avram 25/04/08
      58.   #29 should have been to MaryRose 04:35  |  look here 25/04/08
      59.   #31, EDWARD H, can`t believe the logic 04:44  |  VIPER 25/04/08
      60.   The UN should suspend Israel for it breach of obligation 04:52  |  Dutch 25/04/08
      61.   so you gonna gloat over gazans starving to death huh? 05:23  |  gonna just watch 25/04/08
      62.   Millions have been starving in Darfur and Chad and no one cares 05:41  |  Genuine Tosefta 25/04/08
      63.   This halting of food due to fuel shortage is criminal 05:46  |  Dutch 25/04/08
      64.   Genuine Tosefta you have said you wanted to see all arab babies 06:11  |  to genocidal trash 25/04/08
      65.   Gloat? Over their refusal to take fuel and food? 06:14  |  MaryRose 25/04/08
      66.   MaryRose there is no such thing as `israel` 06:45  |  get a clue 25/04/08
      67.   Avram - When Did Congress Declare War? 06:48  |  Mark of Lewiston 25/04/08
      68.   Dutch you have never spoken on Darfur starvation with such passio 07:08  |  Genuine Tosefta 25/04/08
      69.   Arab babies dead is good for Arabs too 07:10  |  Genuine Tosefta 25/04/08
      70.   Now these poor people are going to starve 08:35  |  Gilbert Gardinier