Jerusalem: Hamas-ruled Gaza's only power plant has been shut down since Saturday afternoon due tolack of fuel, resulting in blackout in almost a third of the coastal Strip.

Bakeries in Gaza also announced yesterday that they would shut down because oflack of fuel to run their ovens, highlighting the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory.

Israel has blamed the Islamicfaction for the crisis saying that Palestinian militants have been continuously firing rockets and mortar shells on its civilians from the area, while humanitarian organisations have accused the Jewish State ofadopting a policy of collective punishment against Palestinians.

Israel has not transferred fuel to Gaza since last Wednesday, just before its Independence Day holiday began.

Enough diesel to operate the power plant was supposed to have been transferred yesterday, but the Israeli government decided to keep the border crossings closed in response to continuing rocket attacks from Gaza in which one Israeli civilian was killed last week.

However, fuel transfers arelikely to resume today, defence sources said.

The Gaza power plant produces some 60 megawatts of electricity with Israel and Egypt supplying bulk of its electricity needswith additional 141 megawatts.

Source : PTI