Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses.

 
200,000 Palestinians Demonstrate in Gaza to Protest Fuel Shortage Due to Israeli Siege

 

200 thousand Palestinians demonstrate to protest fuel shortage

[ 23/03/2012 - 09:51 PM ]
GAZA, (PIC)--

More than 200 thousand Palestinians participated in the protests called for by Hamas in the “Friday to light up Gaza and expose the conspiracy”. People demonstrated all over the Gaza Strip to protest the fuel crisis.

The protests which started after the Friday prayers were led by Hamas officials, MPs and Ministers.

PIC correspondents said that people gathered for the protest of north Gaza at the Tarnes Street in Jabalya, while in Gaza people gathered outside Shawwa and Husari towers, in the central Gaza Strip at the Salahuddeen road, in Khan Younis outside the Grand Mosque and in Rafah at al-Awawda Square.

Protestors chanted slogans condemning the conspiracy and expressing will to withstand all pressures. Speakers accused the PA of being involved along with the occupation, the US and some Arab parties in tightening the siege on the Gaza Strip and using the power crisis to turn the people of Gaza against Hamas.

In Khan Younis, Hamas organised a protest march after the Friday prayers. Thousands of residents participated in six protests which met to form one central protest outside the Grand Mosque at the centre of the city.

Participants in the protest chanted against the blockade which is causing the fuel crises and is effecting every aspect of life in the costal enclave.

Participants raised Palestinian flags as well as green flags. Other factions participated in the protest to express their anger at the conspiracies being hatched by the PA and the Egyptian Intelligence to further strangle the Gaza Strip.

Emergency services deny receiving fuel, says working at 40% capacity

[ 23/03/2012 - 07:28 PM ]
GAZA, (PIC)--

The emergency services in the Gaza Strip denied press reports that they have received any fuel supplies saying that they have cut their services by 60%.

Adham Abu Selmeyya, spokesman of the emergency services, asked the media outlets to check with his department before making such claims saying that it was unethical to play with the feelings of people and try to make gains at the expense of people’s suffering. He added: “What is required is for all efforts to unite in the direction ending this humanitarian crisis.”

He said all the fuel that was delivered to Gaza today was 450 litres of industrial diesel which is enough to run the power plant for one day, and this news should not be reported as if the crisis was over.

He said the humanitarian situation is deteriorating and because of the lack of fuel and electricity all medical services are threatened with grinding to a complete halt.

He added that more than 60% of the medical emergency services have stopped because of the lack of fuel and that only extremely urgent cases are dealt with, warning that if any Israeli aggression on the Strip takes place, then the emergency services will not be able to carry out their duties.

Gaza supplied with 450 litres of industrial diesel to run the power station

[ 23/03/2012 - 07:01 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

Ahmad Abu al-Amrain, head of the information office at the Energy and Natural Resources Authority in Gaza said that they have received confirmation of the start of delivery of 450 thousand litres of industrial diesel imported for the Israeli occupation through the Karm Abu Salem crossing.

In a statement to PIC, Abu al-Amrain said that they were following up this step and want to know if this delivery is a one off or is the flow going to continue to decide when and how to run the Gaza power plant.

For his part, Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas spokesman in Gaza said that his movement and the government in Gaza will continue to exert maximum effort to end the power crisis in Gaza.

He added that his movement's contacts with Egyptian officials never seized and “we were promised by the brothers in Egypt that the fuel required to run the power plant will be supplied and today’s delivery was putting that in practice.”

He praised the efforts of the Gaza government officials, especially the Premier Ismail Haneyya and the Dr. Musa Abu Marzouk who played a special role in mediation with the Egyptian brothers in this regard, stressing that efforts will continue to provide a radical solution.