28 May 2017•Update: 29 May 2017
By al-Saidi
GAZA CITY, Palestine
The power authority in the Gaza Strip has warned of grave consequences of the ongoing power shortages in the blockaded Palestinian territory.
"The crisis is affecting all aspects of livelihood in Gaza," Fathi al-Sheikh Khalil, the authority's deputy head, told a press conference on Sunday.
He said the cuts obstruct water supplies and sewage pumps and disrupt health services to patients.
"Israel is fully responsible for the ongoing electricity crisis in Gaza," he said, going on to call on Israel to fulfill the strip's electric needs.
Khalil said his authority has agreed to all conditions set by the Ramallah-based government to resupply the fuel needed to operate Gaza's power plant.
The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority has yet to comment on Khalil’s statements.
On Friday, the U.N. envoy to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process warned that the Gaza electricity crisis was worsening.
"I am today warning the Security Council that unless urgent measures are taken to de-escalate, the crisis risks spiraling out of control with devastating consequences for Palestinians and Israelis alike," Nickolay Mladenov told the U.N. Security Council.
Gaza, which needs 400 megawatts of electricity per day, continues to suffer from a severe power crisis that has forced local authorities to adopt a rotation system, cutting power from some areas in order to supply electricity to other areas.
Israel provides 120 megawatts of electricity to the Gaza Strip, while Egypt provides 32 megawatts. Gaza’s power plant provides only 60 megawatts, according to Palestinian Energy Authority figures.
In 2014, Hamas and Fatah -- which govern the Gaza Strip and the West Bank respectively -- agreed in principle to establish a unity government.
The so-called unity government in Ramallah, however, has so far failed to assume a governing role in Gaza due to outstanding differences between the two rival factions.
