Hamas is holding back the distribution of one million litres of fuel in the Gaza Strip, a United Nations official said on Monday, joining Israeli claims that the Islamists were stage-managing a crisis.
However, the official, who requested anonymity, added that the current quantities of fuel and industrial gasoline stored in Gaza are sufficient for only several days.
”The general petroleum association refuses to distribute in protest at the lack of supply of fuel by Israel,” he said, referring to the union of Gaza petrol-station owners.
Israel shut the Nahal Oz crossing and fuel terminal on Wednesday after a raid by Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli employees and shattered a month-long lull in violence.
The Jewish state said on Sunday that the terminal will remain closed for several days, and Palestinian officials warned that acute fuel shortages could shut down Gaza’s main power plant.
Gaza’s gas stations have been closed for several days in protest at the insufficient supply of fuel by Israel, which has placed Gaza under a punishing lockdown since Hamas seized control of the territory last June.
The UN official said that one million litres of fuel are being held on the Palestinian side of the terminal, enough to supply Gaza with just over two days’ worth of fuel for cars and electricity generators.
”Israel cannot pump more fuel because there is no place to store it, since the general petroleum association is looking for guarantees from Israel to supply more fuel. This is a logjam,” the official said.
According to UN figures, Gaza’s daily fuel consumption stands at 360 000 litres of diesel and 100 000 litres of benzene.
In addition, there are 1,2-million litres of industrial gasoline stored in Gaza for the power plant, enough for three days.
Gaza’s power plant provides about 30% of the strip’s electricity, with most of the rest supplied from Israel and a small amount from Egypt.
The official also said that there was ”a clear increase” in the number of trucks crossing from Israel into Gaza carrying humanitarian aid and basic supplies in March compared with the previous month. — AFP
