Only one single power station provides energy for the entire Gaza strip. Without it, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have no electricity at all.
The shortage is caused by a few factors, the principal one being the recently cut off tunnel that snakes its way into Egypt from the Gaza strip.
Hamas today declared that there would be no electricity until more fuel is obtained.
For a very long time, Palestinians have relied on the tunnels that connect it to Egypt to procure fuel. But the double whammy of Israel's destruction of some of the tunnels and a later cutoff of the largest remaining tunnel on the part of Egypt have precipitated the present shortage.
In addition, Hamas points the finger at the Palestinian authority's inflation of the gasoline prices for worsening the picture. Without secret resupply, the Gaza strip and Hamas are without recourse on obtaining the necessary fuel.
Acquiring the fuel from Isreal is even more improbable. Israel charges prohibitive taxes on its fuel supply.
For now there is no indication that the power plant will restart any time soon. Unless international relief agencies step in, the Gaza strip is completely in the dark.
Hamas is also not so sanguine about obtaining fuel from Egypt either, whether it has the choice or not, since the ouster of the Muslim Brotherhood from the elected government. But the deterioration can only bode badly for Gaza, whose inhabitants are held powerless to return to a semblance of normality.
Partial source ; FRance 24/ 11.01.13
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