Israeli occupation government blocks hundreds of international humanitarian aid trucks from entering Gaza, reduces fuel supplies drastically

IOG blocks hundreds of international trucks from entering Gaza
[ 29/01/2008 - 07:11 PM ]

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)--

The office of the UN coordinator in occupied Jerusalem has revealed that the Israeli occupation government (IOG) was still retaining all crossings from 1948 lands to Gaza Strip closed.

The office said in a statement that hundreds of trucks loaded with international assistance to the Gaza inhabitants were stranded at the borders with Gaza since last Wednesday.

For its part, UNRWA said that 200 trucks are currently loaded with supplies and could not enter, and added that 40 other trucks loaded with foodstuffs supplied by the world food program were also stuck at those crossings.
It said that contacts were underway with the IOG to allow entry of those food supplies into Gaza.

The UN office said that the IOG allowed entry of 800,000 liters of fuel to Gaza generation station on Sunday and Monday, but underlined that the Strip was still suffering from repeated blackouts especially in Gaza city.

In another development, Israeli occupation forces (IOF) kidnapped three Palestinians in Ramallah city at dawn Tuesday including the representative of the Qatari Red Crescent, Sheikh Nimir Hasarma, 40.

Eyewitnesses said that the two others were university students, and added that the soldiers thoroughly searched the house of Sheikh Hasarma before detaining him.
Hasarma was arrested by PA security apparatuses loyal to PA chief Mahmoud Abbas for a few days last year at the pretext of being one of Hamas leaders in the West Bank but was released after senior Qatari intervention.

Gazan fuel companies reject drastically reduced fuel supply in protest of Israeli sanctions

Date: 29 / 01 / 2008 Time: 13:51

Gaza – Ma'an –

Chief of the Gaza Strip's union of fuel companies, Mahmoud Al-Khizindar affirmed on Tuesday that the fuel companies refused to receive the fuel shipment from Israel to the Gaza Strip save the natural gas and the fuel for running the electricity generating station.

He pointed out that Israel reduced the fuel supplies to 10% of the needed amounts of fuel. As a result, all gas stations in the Gaza Strip closed and cars remained dependent of the fuel which has been brought from Egypt after the border walls in Rafah have been opened by force.

Al-Khizindar also explained that so far Israel has shipped 2.8 million litres of diesel over the past 12 days to the power generating station, and they were supposed to ship 2.2 million litres per week. As a result, the station could not operate in full capacity.

Over the past 12 days, Israel has been sending 50 thousand litres of gasoline per day, 10 thousand of which goes to the UN. The Gaza Strip usually consumes 120 thousand litres per day, and that reduction coerced the fuel companies to abstain from receiving the fuel supplies.

As for diesel, the Israelis have been shipping 350 thousand litres per day while the Gaza Strip needs 700 thousand litres per day.

In Protest of Israeli siege, fuel companies in Gaza reject reduced fuel supply
Tuesday January 29, 2008 16:59 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News ghassanb at imemc dot org
Palestinian media sources reported on Tuesday that owners of fuel companies in Gaza refused to receive the Israeli shipments of fuel entering Gaza in protest of the fuel cuts Israel are making.

However the companies received the reduced supply of fuel for running the only power generator in Gaza, along with the natural gas used for cooking and heating.

As for car fuel, the Gaza Strip needs 120, 000 litres per day, for the past 12 days Israel have only allowed in 50, 000 litres pre day, 10, 000 litres are for the UN in the coastal region and 40 for the gas stations, which is only 10% of what is required.

As for diesel, Israel have been shipping 350, 000 liters per day while Gaza needs 700 thousand litres per day. Sources at the petroleum Authority in Gaza told IMEMC that Israel are still not allowing the amount of fuel needed to generate electricity. The sole Gaza power plant needs 2.2 million litres a week to operate in maximum capacity, however for the previous two weeks, Israel has been sending only 1.4 million a week of fuel needed for the power generator, almost half of that needed.

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