GAZA, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Israel has reduced fuel deliveries to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip almost to the half, Palestinian officials said on Sunday.

    But they said the fuel that goes to Gaza's only power plant was not affected with the reduction.

    Out of 90,000 liters of gasoline, Israel has only allowed 47,000 liters into the Gaza Strip through Nahal Oz crossing in the east of Gaza City, said Nehro el-Hissmawi, an official at the crossing.

    Some 190,000 liters of diesel were channeled to the Gaza Strip instead of 300,000, al-Hissmawi added.

    The 240 tons of gas and 360,000 liters of diesel designated for the engines of the power station in Gaza were not affected, according to al-Hissmawi.

    The prices of petrol have slightly increased in Gaza, leading to an increase on the taxi fees.

    Ihab al-Ghussein, spokesman for the interior ministry under the deposed Hamas government in Gaza, said the Hamas administration will announce the new taxi service fees later in the day. Hamas has taken over the Gaza Strip in mid-June after routing forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah. Since then, Israel has closed the crossing points and allowed only basic needs to go to the 1.5 million residents.

    Later in September, Israel announced the Gaza Strip as a "hostile entity" and voted to further tighten the siege.