Gazans get emergency fuel for power plant

GAZA (Reuters) - An Israeli-approved emergency shipment of industrial fuel for the Gaza Strip's sole electricity plant began arriving in the Hamas-ruled territory on Tuesday, a Palestinian official said.

The week's supply of fuel was expected to allow for power production in Gaza to resume within 12 hours. The plant shut down on Sunday after Israel blockaded Gaza to put pressure on Palestinians to stop cross-border rocket salvoes.

Faced with international calls not to impose illegal "collective punishment" on Gaza's 1.5 million Palestinians, many of whom depend on foreign aid, Israel's Defence Ministry decided on Monday to ease the blockade temporarily.

In addition to 2.2 million liters of industrial fuel, Israel planned to allow in 500,000 liters of diesel for generators and a supply of cooking gas, officials said.

An official with the Palestinian petrol authority said the fuels were being pumped across the Nahal Oz border crossing and would be loaded onto Gazan trucks for distribution.

(Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi; Writing by Dan Williams in Jerusalem; Editing by Richard Meares)