Israel is "temporarily" restoring fuel supply to Gaza to its pre-cut rates

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
The IDF agreed Thursday to restore the supply of diesel fuel to Gaza after cutting it back by 30% only a few days ago, human rights organizations said. The announcement came in a court paper filed by the state in response to an appeal against the cutbacks, launched by NGOs "Gisha" and "Adallah". The change of policy came as it became obvious that Gaza water, sanitation and health care systems were badly affected by the cuts. The medical services in Gaza's main hospital were particularly disrupted. Shifa Hospital director Hassan Khalef said: "We were forced to shut down vital systems in the hospital, and we could not clean the hospital, wash linens or operate the sterilization system." Israel had reduced the flow of fuel - necessary for operating Gaza's power station, water pumps, sewage system and hospitals' generators - in a bid to force Hamas to clamp down on the launchers of the Kassam rockets. The cuts forced daily eight-hour blackouts on the Strip, leaving many families with no means to warm their homes.