Israel reduces Gaza fuel supply after rocket attack

Israelsaid on Monday it was cutting by half the amount offuelit supplies toGaza's only power plant, in response torocketattacks from the Palestinian territory.

Threerockets were fired from the Hamas Islamist-run enclave at southernIsraelon Sunday and two were intercepted by the Iron Dome anti-missile system, the military said.

There was no claim of responsibility. Aftertheattack,Israellaunched an airstrike against what the military described as a Hamas military compound.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

No casualties were reported on either side of the volatile border.

In a statement, COGAT, a unit in the Defence Ministry that coordinates civilian issues with Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and theGazaStrip, said "cutting the amount of diesel in half will significantly reduce" the plant's output.

It said the measure, "following the firing ofrockets ... and the continued violation of stability and security" will be in effect until further notice.
Gazahas long suffered from a shortage of electricity and chronic blackouts.

A new power line fromIsraelhas been proposed to alleviate the situation.

Mohammad Thabet, the spokesman for theGazapower company, described theIsraeli decision as collective punishment.

"We already are in a crisis and now theIsraeli decision will make it worse. It will have a grave impact on the lives of 2 million people and vital services such as hospitals," Thabet told Reuters.

Currently, residents get six hours of electricity followed by 12 hours of blackout.

Thabet said thefuelcuts would decrease power time to only four-hour periods.

In a series of border confrontations in recent weeks,Israelsaid it killed at least eight Palestinian militants who tried to infiltrate its territory.

Israeli and Egyptian blockades have brought theGazan economy to the brink of collapse.

Recent foreign aid cuts and sanctions by the Palestinian Authority, Hamas’s rival in the West Bank, have worsened the situation.