Gaza’s official reveals details of Gaza’s electricity crisis

Deputy Chairman of Gaza’s Energy Authority Fatahy Sheikh Khalil warned that the Gaza Strip will witness a new crisis of lack of electricity Because of the near end of the grants coming from both Qatar and Turkey. He added that the strip’s authorities will not be able to buy fuel by the price imposed by Ramallah’s authorities.

He added that the grants coming from both Qatar and Turkey are close to end, stressing the need for buying new amounts of fuel during the coming period, while they have not the money to buy these amounts in the current prices. He called the Palestinian authority to resume selling the fuel to Gaza without taxes.

He blamed the increasing prices of fuel and repeated faults in the oil pipelines for the electricity crisis witnessed in Gaza during the recent months. He added that the authorities of the strip need to provide 45 million NIS to operate Gaza’s three generators during the coming period and to resolve the electricity crisis. He added that it is difficult to provide this sum of money during the current crisis witnessed in the strip.

He refuted the statement issued by Palestinian Prime Minister over the authority’s support for the electricity in Gaza, saying that the authority’s support for Gaza does not transcend 32 million NIS per month.

He praised the role performed by Saudi, Qatar and Kuwait to rebuild the Gaza strip, saying that a number of countries have not honored their commitments towards the strip, including Turkey, Oman and Emirates. He called the countries for performing a major role to rebuild the strip during the coming period.

He stressed the need for rebuilding the houses demolished by the Israeli attacks during the recent war on Gaza, saying that the occupation destroyed over 173 thousand housing units in the Gaza strip during the attacks witnessed in 2014.

He added that the UN agency for refugees “UNRWA” provided financial grant to rebuild the strip, blaming the administrative measures for the delay of its delivery. He added that similar measures prevented another Saudi grant from entering the strip