This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/7719872.stm

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Gaza facing fresh fuel shortages Fuel shortages close Gaza plant
(about 6 hours later)
Israel says goods border crossings with the Gaza Strip will remain closed, but its defence minister will hold talks to decide whether to allow fuel shipments. The main power plant in the Gaza Strip has been forced to shut down because of a shortage of fuel, plant officials have said.
Some areas of Gaza have seen blackouts in the past 24 hours because of fuel shortages at the local power plant. One turbine at the plant was shut down on Sunday, causing blackouts.
The Gaza electricity company has warned that it may be forced to cut off power supplies completely unless it receives more fuel. The shut-down late on Monday of the remaining two turbines left much of Gaza City in darkness, a local resident told the BBC.
Shipments were halted last week after fierce border clashes and rocket fire. industrial fuel shipments from Israel were halted last week after fierce border clashes and rocket fire.
The Israeli military staged an incursion into Gaza and sent air strikes, killing at least seven Palestinian militants, while militants fired a barrage of rockets into southern Israel.The Israeli military staged an incursion into Gaza and sent air strikes, killing at least seven Palestinian militants, while militants fired a barrage of rockets into southern Israel.
Israel ordered the latest closure after Palestinian militants fired a rocket on Sunday, that landed without causing casualties. Israel ordered border crossings closed after Palestinian militants fired a rocket on Sunday, which landed without causing casualties.
"Defence Minister Ehud Barak's directive to shut the crossings between Israel and the Gaza Strip will remain in place on Monday," a senior official said. Israel said the crossings would remain closed on Monday but that the decision would be the subject of evening talks involving Defence Minister Ehud Barak.
Mr Barak was scheduled to hold meetings to decide whether to allow the opening of the Nahal Oz fuel terminal, the official added. Hospital fears
Shutdowns
The United Nations told the BBC that one turbine at the Gaza plant was shut down on Sunday taking the output down from a possible 65 megawatts to 45 megawatts.
A second turbine is scheduled to be shut down on Monday evening, taking the output down to 25 megawatts.
If there are no fuel deliveries then the final turbine will be shut down on Tuesday, the UN said.
The Gaza City plant provides about a quarter of Gaza's electricity, and more than half the electricity used by the city itself.The Gaza City plant provides about a quarter of Gaza's electricity, and more than half the electricity used by the city itself.
Most of the rest of the supply to the territory of 1.5m people comes directly via power lines from Israel. Most of the rest of the supply to the territory of 1.5 million people comes directly via power lines from Israel.
Palestinian engineers have been implementing a system of rolling blackouts to different areas of Gaza City to prevent the lines from Israel becoming overloaded and cutting out. Palestinian engineers had been implementing a system of rolling blackouts to different areas of Gaza City to prevent the lines from Israel becoming overloaded and cutting out.
Without a grid system, they have no way to divert power to essential utilities such as hospitals or sewage treatment works, and aid agencies warn of a serious threat to public health if the plant goes offline. Without a grid system, they have no way to divert power to essential utilities such as hospitals or sewage treatment works. Aid agencies had warned of a serious threat to public health if the plant went offline.
Oxfam says Gaza's seven largest hospitals have got stocks of diesel to supply generators for about a week, although one of the smaller ones - al-Quds hospital - had only 36 hours' supply. Oxfam said Gaza's seven largest hospitals had stocks of diesel to supply generators for about a week, although one of the smaller ones - al-Quds hospital - had only 36 hours' supply.
It says the water utility has no stocks of fuel for generators which means the sewage disposal system will break down as soon as mains electricity is cut. The aid agency said that the water utility had no stocks of fuel for generators, which meant the sewage disposal system would break down as soon as mains electricity was cut.