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Israel eases restrictions on Gaza Israel eases restrictions on Gaza
(about 3 hours later)
Israel has allowed a shipment of fuel into Gaza, easing its blockade of the territory following widespread international criticism. Israel has temporarily relaxed its blockade of Gaza after hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were left without power and essential supplies.
Lorries carrying domestic cooking gas and fuel for the Strip's sole power plant entered the Nahal Oz border crossing, east of Gaza City. A spokesman said the blockade, which has provoked widespread international criticism, was being lifted only for a day and would be reviewed after that.
Israel shut border crossings last Thursday, after a spate of rocket attacks from the Hamas-run territory. Israel shut border crossings into Gaza on Thursday, after a spate of rocket attacks from the Hamas-run territory.
But it faced accusations of imposing illegal "collective punishment". Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said the move was "insufficient".
Late on Monday, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak agreed to ease the curbs for one day, hours after Gaza's sole power plant shut down, plunging Gaza City into darkness. "We will continue our efforts to get a total lifting of the blockade," he told reporters in the West Bank town of Ramallah.
Mr Abbas stressed that civilians in Gaza were not firing the rockets into Israel, which he condemned as "futile launchings" that had to be stopped.
Earlier, the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, said she had urged the Israeli government to avert a humanitarian crisis.
The UN Security Council will later discuss the situation in Gaza in an emergency session.
Fuel and medicineFuel and medicine
Israel will allow through 2.2m litres of industrial diesel, 500,000 litres of diesel for generators and a supply of cooking gas across the border, said Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Arye Mekel. Israel began easing its blockade of the Gaza Strip on Tuesday by allowing lorries carrying 700,000 litres of industrial diesel for the coastal territory's sole power plant to entered the Nahal Oz fuel terminal.
Supplying Gaza with more fuel does not mean solving the crisis in Gaza. The real crisis of our Palestinian people is the continuing siege Sami Abu ZuhriHamas Gaza's rocket threat to IsraelWhat now for Hamas?Anger in regional pressSupplying Gaza with more fuel does not mean solving the crisis in Gaza. The real crisis of our Palestinian people is the continuing siege Sami Abu ZuhriHamas Gaza's rocket threat to IsraelWhat now for Hamas?Anger in regional press
A shipment of food and medicine is also expected to cross later. A further 1.5m litres of fuel will be delivered over the next three days along with 500,000 litres of diesel for generators, a supply of domestic cooking gas and 50 lorries of food and medicine, Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Arye Mekel said.
The decision follows a warning from the UN that food aid to about 860,000 Gaza people could be halted within days because of the blockade. The blockade had forced the Nusseirat power plant, which depends on fuel deliveries from Israel, to shut down on Monday, plunging Gaza City into darkness.
Following warnings from the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that life would not be "pleasant or comfortable" for Gazans as long as rocket attacks continued, UN officials joined the EU in accusing Israel of "collective punishment" - illegal under international law. Israel accused Hamas of "fabricating" the power shortage, pointing out that the power plant in Gaza produces only a minority of the territory's power.
The officials have expressed relief that fuel deliveries have restarted, allowing them to provide the food aid on which some 80% of the Gazan population rely. It said it was still providing nearly 70% of the territory's power directly.
The decision by Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak to ease the restrictions temporarily followed a warning from the UN that food aid to about 860,000 Gaza people could be halted within days because of the blockade.
Earlier, a warning from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that life would not be "pleasant or comfortable" for Gazans as long as rocket attacks continued prompted UN officials to join the EU in accusing Israel of "collective punishment".
Crisis 'delayed'Crisis 'delayed'
But others say the decision to relax the blockade for just one day will only put off a crisis. Nevertheless, UN officials expressed relief that fuel deliveries had restarted, allowing them to provide the food aid on which some 80% of the Gazan population rely.
"The fuel we will get today is going to be only enough for three days so I'm not saying the situation is going to be better," Rana Elhindi, an aid worker for Save the Children, told the BBC. Other aid workers, however, said the decision to relax the blockade for just one day would only put off a crisis.
"The fuel we will get today is going to be only enough for three days so I'm not saying the situation is going to be better," Rana Elhindi from Save the Children told the BBC.
Hamas leaves a militaristic, yet diplomatic nation no choice G Uzelac, New York CityBBC News website reader Your commentsProfile: Gaza StripHamas leaves a militaristic, yet diplomatic nation no choice G Uzelac, New York CityBBC News website reader Your commentsProfile: Gaza Strip
"If it's going to be like that then we're really facing a real disaster in the Gaza strip.""If it's going to be like that then we're really facing a real disaster in the Gaza strip."
A spokesman for Hamas, Sami Abu Zuhri, said the crisis would remain despite the easing of border restrictions.A spokesman for Hamas, Sami Abu Zuhri, said the crisis would remain despite the easing of border restrictions.
"The Israeli announcement of supplying Gaza with more fuel does not mean solving the crisis in Gaza," he said. "The Israeli announcement of supplying Gaza with more fuel does not mean solving the crisis in Gaza," he said. "The real crisis of our Palestinian people is the continuing siege on the Gaza Strip."
"The real crisis of our Palestinian people is the continuing siege on the Gaza Strip." Mr Zuhri called on neighbouring countries to demonstrate in support of Gaza, and urged Egypt to re-open the Rafah border crossing.
Mr Zuhri called on neighbouring countries to demonstrate in support of Gaza, and urged Egypt to open the Rafah border crossing into the territory. Israel imposed an economic embargo on Gaza after the Islamist militant group seized control from the rival Fatah group in June. It has also limited the movement of people in and out of the territory.
The Palestinian Prime Minister, Salam Fayyad, told reporters in London that life in Gaza had become unbearable, but said the Palestinian Authority had limited influence because it no longer controlled it.
Under reviewUnder review
But Israel said its lockdown of the territory had been effective in halting rocket fire. Despite protests from the international community and aid agencies against the lockdown, the Israeli government said the policy had been effective in halting rocket fire.
"What we see is that the number of Qassam rockets was decreased dramatically," foreign ministry spokesman Mr Mekel told the BBC."What we see is that the number of Qassam rockets was decreased dramatically," foreign ministry spokesman Mr Mekel told the BBC.
Israel says border closures will stop if the rocket attacks endIsrael says border closures will stop if the rocket attacks end
"Last week there were about 200 rockets altogether. And now there was two today, and four yesterday... So since we are monitoring it we decided that at this time we could ease this blockade," he said."Last week there were about 200 rockets altogether. And now there was two today, and four yesterday... So since we are monitoring it we decided that at this time we could ease this blockade," he said.
Mr Merkel earlier said the government would review the situation after easing the blockade for a day.
However another rocket struck the nearby Israeli town of Sderot on Tuesday.However another rocket struck the nearby Israeli town of Sderot on Tuesday.
The blockade was met with protests from the international community and aid agencies, after bakeries and petrol stations shut and hospitals were forced to rely on generators for critical power supplies on Monday.
The UN Security Council is set to meet to discuss the situation, following calls from the Arab League.
Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak telephoned Israel's prime minister Mr Olmert to warn of the humanitarian consequences of the lockdown.
But Israel accused Hamas of "fabricating" the power shortage, pointing out that the power plant in Gaza produces only a minority of the territory's power.
It said it was still providing nearly 70% of the territory's power directly.
Are you in Gaza City? Do you have power? What is the current situation? Send us your comments using the form below:Are you in Gaza City? Do you have power? What is the current situation? Send us your comments using the form below:
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