Israel in talks with Egypt, EU in bid to solve Gaza electricity crisis

Israeli authorities are in talks with Egypt and European countries in an attempt to solve the electricity crisis in the Gaza Strip where 2 million residents have less than four hours of electricity every day, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on Wednesday.

On Sunday the Israeli ministerial council headed by Netanyahu decided to reduce Israel’s electricity supply to Gaza by 35 per cent.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu initially attempted to distance himself from the crisis by claiming that the issue is part of an internal dispute between the Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas.

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Israeli and Palestinian media reported that this decision was taken after the Palestinian Authority (PA) Financial Minister Shukri Bishara officially asked Israeli occupation authorities to cut electricity supplies to Gaza.

Commenting on the Israeli decision to reduce the electricity supply to Gaza Hamas said that this would have a “disastrous impact on the life of people in the Gaza Strip”.