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Last update - 18:33 04/05/2008 Hamas use police cars for taxi service in gas-strapped Gaza By The Associated Press Tags: Gaza Strip, Hamas, Israel Hamas militants in Gaza group are using the group's police cars to ferry around Palestinians because of severe fuel shortages in the area. The blue police cars are marked with orange stickers that read "we are ready to drive you for free." Transportation has been paralyzed throughout Gaza since Israel restricted gasoline and diesel supplies last month. Gazans now walk, ride bicycles or use vegetable oil in their cars to get around. Advertisement Israel has steadily limited fuel supplies to Gaza to pressure Palestinian militants to halt their rocket barrages on neighboring Israeli communities. But it's widely believed that Hamas has hoarded its own fuel supplies. Some Gaza residents interviewed Sunday said they think the Hamas police taxis on Sunday were a publicity stunt. Suzan Salman, a 48, used one of the police cars to take her to a downtown hospital, where her daughter had just given birth. "It's good that we have somebody who cares about us," the grandmother said. "We are here to serve our people," said Mohammed Hamza, a 25-year-old Hamas policeman. However, one Gaza resident, a 33-year-old man who gave his name only as Jamal, refused the offer, saying it was a publicity stunt. He blamed Hamas for the fuel shortages. "They want to fool the people," he said, declining to give his last name for fear of reprisals from the violent group. "They are trying make the people forget who is behind our suffering. Turbine at Gaza power plant shut down because of gas shortage A senior Gaza energy official says the territory's only power plant temporarily shut down one of its four turbines because Israel hasn't shipped enough fuel. A fuel shipment was later delivered by Israel and the plant reportedly was again operating all four turbines. Israel is Gaza's only source of fuel, and ordinarily ships fuel for the power plant twice weekly. Last week it delivered fuel only once. The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the turbine switch-off. The plant supplies one-third of Gaza's electricity. Israel supplies most of the rest. Fuel shipments have been sporadic since Palestinian militants attacked an Israeli fuel depot near Gaza last month, killing two Israelis. The gas crisis in Gaza has been felt throughout the Strip, with UN officials saying in April that as many as 700,000 Palestinians who rely on the UN for basic food packets won't be getting them because UN vehicles do not have the fuel to operate. Throughout the Strip, long lines of drivers waiting days and even hours for gas stretch kilometers from gas stations. Israel has restricted fuel supplies since September to pressure Palestinian militants into halting rocket fire at neighboring Israeli communities, but with no apparent results. Israel has 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. Related articles: UN: Food aid to Gazans halted due to Israeli fuel cutoff EU: Israel resumes supply of fuel to Gaza power plant Gazans turn to black market to overcome gasoline shortage Israel, PA: Hamas confiscates half of all fuel to Gaza Strip Sanctions force Gazans to wait in line for days for a bit of fuel Bookmark to del.icio.us   Shimon goes green Peres says to fight terror Israel should reduce its dependence on oil. Voices of heroism IDF releases audio recordings from famed 1976 Entebbe raid.   1.   If the power plant really needs fuel 11:34  |  Yonatan 04/05/08   2.   The reral reason for the fuel shortage 11:36  |  Yonatan 04/05/08   3.   There`s still power on line coming from Israel and Egypt 12:45  |  x-ray 04/05/08   4.   HAS Hamas offered to share their fuel grab. 12:56  |  PETER SM 04/05/08   5.   hamas police ? 14:06  |  vik 04/05/08   6.   Hamas disrupts fuel supplies to Gaza. 15:59  |  Jean Van Daem 04/05/08   7.   Israel imports fuel from Egypt 16:35  |  Historian 04/05/08   8.   Historian - a lot of rubbish. You need to go back to school! 17:03  |  Jo 04/05/08   9.   Gazans must insulting their OWN police. 17:29  |  Magnify 04/05/08   10.   they fire at the trucks 19:08  |  KUTW 04/05/08   11.   hope aljazeera was there to show hamas kindness 16:41  |  POP 05/05/08   12.   So corrupt Hamas HAS ENOUGH fuel!!! 19:23  |  Alain 05/05/08   13.   a perfect solution 01:49  |  david 06/05/08   14.   human shields 01:51  |  david 06/05/08

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