By Haaretz Service
Gaza's sole power plant will cease functioning within hours, the Palestinian Ma'an news agency said on Saturday, quoting the Strip's Energy Authority.
The Gaza Energy Authority wrote in a statement that while of the power plant's generators has been shut down, the remaining amount of fuel will only suffice to to continue the plant's electricity output for a few hours longer.
"The power plant's output decreased to 30 megawatts and Gaza will experience blackouts as a result of an energy deficit of 50%," the statement added. According to the Ma'an report, the Strip-based authority also claimed that the reduction of fuel transfers into Gaza continued, with the first week of February seeing 1,600 cubic meters of fuel entrring the costal enclave instead of the 2,200 cubic meters decided upon in an Israeli court decision.
Authorities appealed to international and humanitarian organizations, as well as Arab states and the Organization of the Islamic Conference to end the ongoing electricity deficit in Gaza.
On Friday, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip inflicted "protracted suffering" on Palestinians, which is a source of great concern, Ban said.
He described the blockade as "unacceptable and counter-productive" to development and reconstruction in the war-torn territory.
On the other hand, Ban condemned renewed rocket fire from Gaza, "which indiscriminately targets Israeli civilians."
Ban also called on Israelis and Palestinians to promptly resume talks to overcome the daunting obstacles in the way of settling their conflict.
"Permanent status issues, including Jerusalem, borders, refugees, security, settlements and water will be resolved only through negotiations," Ban said in a message to the UN meeting in support of Israeli-Palestinian peace being held in Qawra, Malta.
Ban's comments follow a visit to the region at the beginning of the month made by U.S. envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, in an attempt to restart peace talks.
