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Last update - 22:30 10/05/2008 Palestinians: Gaza power plant closes due to fuel shortage By Haaretz Service and The Associated Press Tags: diesel, Nahal Oz, Gaza Strip  Officials in the Gaza Strip said Saturday evening they switched off all three turbines that had been generating electricity for hundreds of thousands of Gazans due to a shortage in fuel. Energy official Kaanan Obeid said Israel - the sole supplier of Gaza's fuel - hadn't provided enough diesel to run the power plant. Ninety percent of Gaza City, the territory's biggest city, was plunged in darkness Saturday night, Obeid said. Advertisement Israel has limited its rations of fuel and other supplies to Gaza in an attempt to pressure militants to stop firing rockets at nearby Israeli towns. Israeli security officials said that less fuel than intended was transferred to the coastal territory in the past week because the Nahal Oz terminal on the Israel-Gaza border was not fully operational, due to Palestinian mortar attacks. Israel Radio reported that fuel shipments would resume on Sunday. The plant has shut down before, citing fuel shortages, but Israel delivered fuel the following day. It was not immediately clear if the privately owned power station had actually run out of fuel Saturday or whether it was shut down to pressure Israel to deliver fuel. The plant supplies roughly one-third of Gaza's residents with electricity, the rest of which comes from Israel and Egypt. Government spokesman David Baker denied Israel was to blame for the blackout. "Israel continues to supply fuel and vital humanitarian goods to Gaza," Baker said. "There is no logical reason for this fuel plant to be shut down. This is another example of Hamas orchestrating an artificial crisis for its own political aims and once again Hamas is showing a complete disregard for the welfare of the Palestinian people." In recent months, Gazans have commonly spent four to six hours of every day without electricity because of the fuel shortages. Many people used to rely on small generators to fill the breach, but fuel for these units also has become exceedingly scarce, leaving most people to resort to candles. It is widely believed that Hamas has diverted some of the fuel Israel has delivered for its own use. Israel Radio also reported that Hamas announced it would distribute fuel for public transportation needs on Sunday. Bookmark to del.icio.us   A top priority Barack Obama: We will keep Israel's security a priority. Tale of a key Cartoon film on Nakba describes Jews as 'enemies of homeland'.   1.   Hamas disrupts fuel supplies to Gaza. 18:38  |  Jean Van Daem 10/05/08   2.   Who believes them? Palywood rides again 20:26  |  x-ray 10/05/08   3.   accountablility 20:29  |  vik 10/05/08   4.   Jean Van Daem 20:44  |  Calyxcrater 10/05/08   5.   It`s Israel`s duty to help Gazans 21:39  |  Alex 10/05/08   6.   The Gazans do not need power! 21:48  |  Murray the Mongoose 10/05/08   7.   Great News 22:16  |  Simon 10/05/08   8.   where did hamas get its fuel? it stole it, manufactured shortage 22:19  |  ralph 10/05/08   9.   Ridiculous statement by Baker 23:48  |  Maki 10/05/08   10.   Hezbollah propagandists teaching Hamas? 01:30  |  Joe Sittizen 11/05/08   11.   #8 Ralph 02:32  |  * BEN JABO 11/05/08   12.   Joe Sittizen, your hypocrisy is simply atrocious 11:08  |  Dutch 11/05/08   13.   Simon in comfort in New York 14:49  |  Palestinian Brit 11/05/08   14.   Vik in New York 14:53  |  Palestinian Brit 11/05/08   15.   Stop all fuel and power deliveries 15:41  |  JonathanInTelAviv 11/05/08   16.   # 13 Pal Brit...why should they care? 15:55  |  Lynn 11/05/08   17.   # 9 Maki....there is no Pal cause anymore 15:58  |  Lynn 11/05/08   18.   The THUTH 20:01  |  Bilal 11/05/08   19.   THEY NEED LIGHT TO SEE WHERE TO FIRE THE ROCKETS 20:02  |  PalestniansAreA Myth 11/05/08   20.   #12.Dutch.Thanks for your observations 20:25  |  Sarajane. 11/05/08   21.   NO ELECTRICITY 21:51  |  TOBIA 11/05/08   22.   MORE PALLYWOOD - Hamas give the fuel back 22:52  |  Doc Holliday 11/05/08   23.   Let there be darkness, then they`ll see the light 07:02  |  * BEN JABO 12/05/08

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