Gaza’s electricity crisis
Electricity in Gaza is set to become yet more scarce as supplies to the strip will be scaled back by 40 percent.
Published On 19 Jun 2017
For the almost two million people who live in the Gaza Strip, electricity has become a luxury.
Residents of the besieged enclave receive about four hours of electricity a day, and a recent agreement between the Palestinian Authority and Israel reduces Gaza’s electricity by another 40 percent.
Keep reading
list of 4 itemsLibya: Media clampdown amidst a disaster
Qatar sends medical aid, rescue team to flood-stricken Libya
Middle East Roundup: Kneeling before Tehran? Iran and US swap prisoners
READ MORE: Mass protests on Gaza\’s borders over electricity crisis
Israel’s power plant, which supplies 125 megawatts, or 30 percent of the total electricity needs of the Gaza Strip, will scale back to at least 40 percent.
The Gaza Strip requires 450 megawatts daily, but currently only receives around 150 megawatts. The reduction in electricity is widely seen as an attempt by President Mahmoud Abbas to cripple the rival Hamas leadership in Gaza.
READ MORE: Palestine Remix – Gaza left in the dark
Gaza’s sole power plant, which supplied 60 megawatts, shut down in April after it ran out of fuel. Prior to its shutdown, the Palestinian Authority removed a tax exemption on diesel fuel, doubling the price as a result.
Source: Al Jazeera