The Gaza Strip’s only power plant has ceased functioning as of 10 a.m. this morning, the Gaza Energy Authority announces.
The plant runs on diesel fuel, which Israel has banned from entering the Strip through the Kerem Shalom commercial crossing due to the hundreds of balloon-borne incendiary devices and several rockets launched recently by Gaza-based groups into Israeli territory.
Israel has gradually tightened restrictions on Gaza in an attempt to pressure Hamas, the Islamist terror organization that controls the coastal enclave, to crack down on the balloon-launchers.
Gazans subsist on meager rations of electricity, often around 12 hours a day. Without a functioning power plant, daily electricity supply could plunge as low as three or four hours.
According to Ashraf al-Qidra, a spokesperson for the Hamas-run health ministry, the lack of power could have serious repercussions for premature babies in nurseries, intensive care patients and those needing dialysis or emergency surgery.
— Aaron Boxerman
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
— Gabriella Jacobs, multimedia journalist
Support our work
Support our work
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, August 18, 2020
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
