Gaza fuel shortage: Your views

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/6956750.stm

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As the EU announces that it will resume paying for fuel supplies to the Gaza Strip, following a dispute, local Palestinians describe how the electricity shortages are affecting them.

At least 25% of the 1.5-million population have been without electricity.

HALA, 25, PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER, GAZA CITY

The worst thing is the weather. It is so hot and without electricity we can't use our fans, air conditioners or fridges. We don't even have cold water to drink.

During the day temperatures reach 36C and at night they only fall to about 28C or 29C.

I am two-months pregnant and am on medication from my doctor. I am meant to keep it in the fridge and now I can't and so I have to instead go to the pharmacy each day to buy my daily dose. This will be my first child.

Sleeping at night is very difficult without air conditioning. These days my husband and I wake up every hour or so just to put water on our faces to enable us to sleep.

Yesterday I had to throw all my food away. I had had a lot in my fridge freezer but it all went to waste.

And because there is no electricity there is no water. It cannot be pumped. Unless you have a generator.

My home smells because I have no water to wash our clothes or dirty dishes.

I am lucky that my office has electricity. At least at work I can be cool and have cold water to drink, and I can charge my mobile. And everyday I am able to take a little water home.

My husband works for a non-governmental organisation (NGO) but they do not have electricity or water as their generator is broken.

I really hope that these shortages end soon. I do hope so, so much.

DR AWAD, 48, ACADEMIC, RAFAH

I have electricity because I live on the Egyptian border and here our electricity comes from Egypt.

Some Gazans have been without electricity for a week

But I have been talking a lot to my family, over the phone, and they are battling with the shortages.

Many factories are closed which means there is no work and so no pay.

Refrigerators have had to be switched off and so no-one has any way of freezing fish, meat, vegetables, even milk.

The situation is terrible.

ROZZI, 22, STUDENT, SOUTHERN GAZA

For me the lack of electricity is a big problem. It makes it even harder for us to continue our lives.

As a student, I cannot begin to explain the problems I am having.

Some parts of Gaza have received power, albeit intermittently

I live in Gaza but my university is in the West Bank. I study via distance learning - through video conferences and email.

But now I can't because I can't use my computer.

I have a lot of assignments and an overload of work... and it is all meant to be delivered in a few days. I am in my graduation semester and so it is really detrimental to my final marks.

If I can deliver them on time then I will pass but if I don't, I will fail.

I have asked for an extension but some of my lecturers have refused. Some of them live in areas where they have power and so they are not sympathetic.

And I can't even reach my university in person because the Israeli army won't let me cross through.

These shortages are because of Hamas but still I don't see this action as justified.

The people who have brought these shortages about have to recognise how it is causing more ruin to our lives.

So far it has been like this for around a week, sometimes we are supplied intermittently but you never know when it might come on and so you can't even plan.

The news today has been going on about how the shortages are going to continue for a long time.

I hope it doesn't. I need to pass my studies.