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| UN says Gaza facing food shortage | UN says Gaza facing food shortage |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| UN food aid to about 860,000 people in the Gaza Strip will have to be suspended within days if Israel's blockade continues, the UN has warned. | UN food aid to about 860,000 people in the Gaza Strip will have to be suspended within days if Israel's blockade continues, the UN has warned. |
| Spokesman Christopher Gunness said the UN relief agency UNWRA was running short of nylon for plastic bags and fuel for vehicles and generators. | Spokesman Christopher Gunness said the UN relief agency UNWRA was running short of nylon for plastic bags and fuel for vehicles and generators. |
| Egypt has urged Israel to lift its border closure and the crisis is being discussed by the Arab League. | Egypt has urged Israel to lift its border closure and the crisis is being discussed by the Arab League. |
| The EU says Israel is "collectively punishing" the Hamas-run territory. | The EU says Israel is "collectively punishing" the Hamas-run territory. |
| Israel closed Gaza's borders last Thursday in response to rocket attacks by Gaza-based militants. | Israel closed Gaza's borders last Thursday in response to rocket attacks by Gaza-based militants. |
| With fuel supplies hit drastically by the blockade, Gaza's only power plant was shut down on Sunday night. | With fuel supplies hit drastically by the blockade, Gaza's only power plant was shut down on Sunday night. |
| I have made clear that I am against this collective punishment of the people of Gaza Benita Ferrero-Waldner,EU external relations commissioner class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/3702088.stm">Gaza's rocket threat to Israel class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/5122404.stm">Profile: Gaza Strip | |
| Israel is still providing 60% of Gaza's power needs. | |
| Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says that while Israel does not want to provoke a humanitarian crisis, it does want to make people's lives "uncomfortable". | |
| In another development, overnight Israeli air strikes in the Gaza City area killed one Palestinian and injured several others. Israel said it had been targeting militants transporting rockets. | |
| Bread and rockets | Bread and rockets |
| On Monday morning residents awoke to closed petrol stations and shuttered bakeries unable to bake bread - a staple food in Gaza. | On Monday morning residents awoke to closed petrol stations and shuttered bakeries unable to bake bread - a staple food in Gaza. |
| Generators are supplying critical power to hospitals | |
| Generators are being used to maintain critical power supplies to hospitals but there are fears that supplies of diesel could soon run out. | Generators are being used to maintain critical power supplies to hospitals but there are fears that supplies of diesel could soon run out. |
| Mr Olmert insists the Israeli action is limited to cutting fuel supplies for vehicles. | Mr Olmert insists the Israeli action is limited to cutting fuel supplies for vehicles. |
| "As far as I'm concerned, all the residents of Gaza can walk and have no fuel for their cars, because they have a murderous terrorist regime that doesn't allow people in the south of Israel to live in peace," he said. | "As far as I'm concerned, all the residents of Gaza can walk and have no fuel for their cars, because they have a murderous terrorist regime that doesn't allow people in the south of Israel to live in peace," he said. |
| Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Ary Mekell told the BBC on Monday that the energy crisis in Gaza was a "a fabrication and a stage production by Hamas". | Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Ary Mekell told the BBC on Monday that the energy crisis in Gaza was a "a fabrication and a stage production by Hamas". |
| "There is no shortage of electricity - we provide 70% of the electricity for Gaza through electric cables and this is nothing to do with the fuel supplies," he said. | "There is no shortage of electricity - we provide 70% of the electricity for Gaza through electric cables and this is nothing to do with the fuel supplies," he said. |
| After decades of occupation, Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005, but it still controls the territory's borders and supplies. | After decades of occupation, Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005, but it still controls the territory's borders and supplies. |
| Hamas - branded a terrorist organisation by the Israel, the US and the EU - has been in charge of Gaza since June, when it drove out rivals Fatah. | Hamas - branded a terrorist organisation by the Israel, the US and the EU - has been in charge of Gaza since June, when it drove out rivals Fatah. |
| More than 200 rockets and mortars have hit Israel from Gaza since an Israeli operation against militants on Tuesday that left 18 Palestinians dead, the Israeli military says. | More than 200 rockets and mortars have hit Israel from Gaza since an Israeli operation against militants on Tuesday that left 18 Palestinians dead, the Israeli military says. |
| Foreign concern | Foreign concern |
| Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak telephoned Mr Olmert to warn him of the humanitarian effects of the blockade, and urged him to "stop the Israeli aggression". | Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak telephoned Mr Olmert to warn him of the humanitarian effects of the blockade, and urged him to "stop the Israeli aggression". |
| Israel says border closures will stop if the rocket attacks end | Israel says border closures will stop if the rocket attacks end |
| He also raised the possibility of reopening the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, which Israel insists should remain closed. | He also raised the possibility of reopening the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, which Israel insists should remain closed. |
| Arab League officials gathered in Cairo for an emergency meeting but it is unclear what action it can take other than pushing for humanitarian relief. | Arab League officials gathered in Cairo for an emergency meeting but it is unclear what action it can take other than pushing for humanitarian relief. |
| The most significant action would be to reopen Gaza's crossing into Egypt but this would probably prove too controversial a step for the Egyptian government, the BBC's Ian Pannell reports. | The most significant action would be to reopen Gaza's crossing into Egypt but this would probably prove too controversial a step for the Egyptian government, the BBC's Ian Pannell reports. |
| In other reaction: | In other reaction: |
Are you in Gaza? Have you been affected by the Israeli blockade? Please send your comments by using the form below: | Are you in Gaza? Have you been affected by the Israeli blockade? Please send your comments by using the form below: |