Israel to allow shipment of diesel, cooking gas into Gaza Strip

Israeli authorities will open the Karam Abu Salam (Kerem Shalom) crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip today to allow fuel into the besieged coastal enclave.

Director General of the Public Administration of the Crossing Points and Borders Committee in Gaza, Nathmi Mahana, told Ma’an that Israel had agreed to open the crossing “exceptionally” to allow a regulated amount of diesel into the Strip, to be used by the Gaza Electricity Company.

Mahana added that Israeli authorities had also agreed to allow cooking gas.

Read: Severe shortage of cooking gas in Gaza

It remained unclear how much diesel and cooking gas would be allowed in.

The cooking gas crisis in Gaza has been caused by the lack of gas being pumped into Gaza.

Kerem Shalom was opened earlier this month, and twice last month to allow diesel into the small coastal territory.

Gaza’s only functioning power plant has not run at full capacity in years, with Israel’s crippling blockade severely limiting fuel imports into the coastal enclave.

The enclave’s severe electricity shortages over the years have exacerbated the already dire living conditions in the small Palestinian territory.