Egyptian officials have said that the north of Egypt's Sinai region is running out of fuel due to smuggling operations across the border to the Gaza Strip, which is being blockaded by Israel.

Local officials have said that agricultural work in Sinai is being restricted because there is not enough fuel left in the north of the peninsula for machinery to operate.

"Smuggling to Gaza through tunnels has led to a drastic reduction in fuel supplies at petrol stations" in the northern Sinai, Mohammed Hussein, a senior official of the Sinai governorate, said.

The smuggling operations to Gaza come as Israel continues to impose a blockade on the Palestinian territory.

Over the past month, the authorities in northern Sinai have imposed a ban on the sale of fuel in jerry cans, except for agricultural purposes.

Petrol stations have also been instructed to close overnight.

Almost 170,000 litres of fuel that was being bound for Gaza to be sold on the black market was seized last week by Sinai authorities, officials have said.

Israel has said that the crossing point between Gaza and Israel will remain sealed, despite calls from the United Nations and human rights organisations to restore access so that Gazans can receive essential supplies.

About 1.5 million Palestinians are experiencing food shortages and power cuts since the crossings were closed on November 5.