Hamas suspended imports of fuel for the power plant from Israel last year and instead relied on smuggled stock, and was totally unprepared for sudden halt to supplies from Egypt. There has also been a severe shortage of diesel for cars. There has been widespread anger across Gaza over the recent blackouts, with electricity available just six hours a day during one of the coldest weeks of the year. Gaza's energy supply is bad at the best of times, with a rickety infrastructure system badly degraded during fighting over the past five years between Israel and Hamas, which is committed to destroying the Jewish state. The crisis enabled the Palestinian Authority to intervene with Egypt and broker a deal. Many locals have accused Hamas of mismanaging the situation, relying too heavily on smuggled fuel, which it taxes heavily, rather than seeking alternative sources of energy via legal channels on which it could not impose levies. But supplies were unexpectedly cut last week, forcing Hamas, which runs the coastal territory largely cut off by Israel, to impose lengthy blackouts. Gaza depends heavily on fuel smuggled in from Egypt to keep its lone power station on line. "The increase comes in the framework of a quick attempt to relieve the suffering of the Palestinian people," Hassan Younes, the Egyptian minister responsible for electricity and power, said in a statement. According to Ma'an, Hamas spokesman Taher al-Nunu said Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh struck a deal with Egyptian officials and the Islamic Development Bank after "intensive negotiations." The deal, to be implemented in three stages, begins with Egyptian companies pumping fuel into Gaza under contracts signed with individual companies. Gaza power plant _390 (photo credit: Reuters)Įgypt and Hamas reached an energy agreement Thursday to help end the energy crisis in Gaza, and that will ultimately connect Gaza's electricity grid to Egypt's, the Palestinian Ma'an news agency reported. Jerusalem Post Middle East 'Egypt, Hamas agree to link electricity grids' Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh signs three-stage deal with Egypt to end Gaza's energy crisis. Israel News Health & Wellness WORLD NEWS Middle East Business & Innovation Opinion Archeology Login Log Out (function (a, d, o, r, i, c, u, p, w, m) ` (script) Advertisement 'Egypt, Hamas agree to link electricity grids' - The Jerusalem Post
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |