Diesel transferred to Gaza Strip (archives)
Photo: Tsafrir Abayov
Power supply to Gaza to be limited Thursday night
According to plan approved by Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai, electricity supply to Strip to be reduced for next few weeks, with 5% of supply limited each week
Security sources have confirmed that 5% of the power supply of each of the 10 lines supplying electricity to the Gaza Strip will be limited starting Thursday night.
The electricity supply reduction, according to a plan outlined by the coordinator of the operations in the territories, will join the additional sanctions related to the reduction in the supply of diesel, petrol and goods.
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The defense establishment instructed the Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) to gradually limit the supply of electricity to the Gaza Strip starting Thursday night. According to the document, the IEC will being reducing 5% (0.5 megawatt) from one of the lines conducting electricity to the Strip.
Next week, 5% of the electricity supply will be reduced from another line. This will take place every week, on each of the 10 lines supplying a total of 124 megawatt.
The political echelon decided about two months ago to cut the fuel and electricity supply to the Gaza Strip. About two weeks ago, Israel stopped supplying diesel to the Strip, but this caused a blackout in Gaza after the local power station ceased its operations, leading to international pressure on the Jewish state, which later decided to resume the diesel supply.
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According to the plan and the defense establishment's order, after the electricity supply is reduced, the situation on the Palestinian street and the effectiveness of the Israeli sanction will be examined. The Palestinians will also receive notice before this is carried out.
The electricity cutoff which is slated to begin Thursday night is pending the approval of the prime minister and the defense minister.
Officials at the Ministry of National Infrastructures said that the decision to reduce the supply was made by security officials, but that the IEC was instructed not to hurt the Israeli residents of the Gaza vicinity communities who receive their electricity supply from the same power lines.
Hanan Greenberg contributed to this report
