Israel gives fuel to U.N. aid agency in Gaza

Mon May 5, 2008 1:06pm EDT

JERUSALEM May 5 (Reuters) - Israel delivered fuel on Monday to a U.N. aid agency in the Gaza Strip, a day after the organisation said fuel shortages would force it to halt food deliveries to many refugees in the Palestinians enclave.

Peter Lerner, spokesman for Israel's military coordinator for Gaza, said the fuel was piped into the Gaza Strip "as requested" by the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which provides aid to about a third of Gaza's population.

UNRWA spokesman Christopher Gunness said the fuel would be enough to continue their food delivery operations for approximately 20 days.

Gaza has been facing a fuel shortage because of Israeli restrictions on supplies and a strike by Palestinian fuel distributors in protest at those restrictions.

UNRWA said on Sunday the lack of fuel would force its food distribution programmes to be halted on Monday, affecting some 650,000 people.

The Gaza fuel association said it went on strike to protest over Israel's supply limits which were cut back sharply after Palestinian militants attacked the Nahal Oz depot last month killing two Israeli civilians. (Reporting by Adam Entous and Avida Landau; Writing by Avida landau; Editing by Giles Elgood)



Comments (0)
This discussion is now closed. We welcome comments on our articles for a limited period after their publication.