UN says Gaza fuel shortage adding to health crisis

JERUSALEM, Dec 10 (Reuters) - United Nations officials called for swift action on Monday to end a fuel and electricity shortage, partly caused by Israeli sanctions, that has aggravated a health crisis in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) said fuel shortages in Gaza had made it harder for health services to function.

"WHO and UNRWA are appealing to all parties involved to ensure that in future all health facilities in Gaza are supplied with the appropriate amount of electricity and fuel to provide fully functional services," a statement said.

Ambrogio Manenti, the head of the WHO in the West Bank and Gaza, said the Israeli restrictions, a strike by Gaza fuel station owners and occasional delays in payments from the Palestinian Authority to Israeli fuel companies had led to severe energy shortages in Gaza hospitals.

Hamas seized control of Gaza in June after clashes with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah group.

Israel has declared Gaza an "enemy entity" and launches regular raids into the coastal territory to try to curb rocket fire by militants into the Jewish state. Israel began restricting fuel supplies in October.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said Israel was committed to letting aid into Gaza, but while Hamas continued to fire rockets into Israel that targeted civilians, "it cannot be business as usual between Israel and Gaza".

WHO officials and local activists said Israel had made it increasingly difficult for Gazans to get necessary treatment outside of the territory.

"In Gaza, if you are ill, particularly if you have a heavy illness, more or less, your destiny is written," the WHO's Manenti said.

The power struggle between Hamas and Fatah, including the appointment by Hamas of hospital officials and a second health minister, has also caused confusion and affected services in Gaza, said Eyad Al Sarraj, chairman of the Gaza Community Mental Health Program.

In Brussels, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad urged Israel to lift its blockade on Gaza, saying his Fatah-backed government had indicated its willingness to manage the crossings in and out of the strip if Israel agrees to lift the blockade.

(Reporting and writing by Brenda Gazzar, Additional reporting by Wafa Amr; Editing by Matthew Tostevin)