Special report: Palestine-Israel Relations

    GAZA, May 11 (Xinhua) -- The sole Gaza power plant is still shutting down for the second consecutive day after Israel didn't allow on Sunday industrial diesel for operating the plant, a senior official said in Gaza.

    Kan'an Obied, chief of energy authorities in Gaza told reporters that Gaza power plant is still completely closed for the second day and doesn't supply any electricity to Gaza population due to lack of fuel.

    "Israel wasn't committed on Sunday to allow fuel shipment to re-operate the Gaza power plant," said Obied, adding that "Israel had promised to ship fuel into Gaza on Sunday, but until now we haven't received anything."

    Meanwhile, chief of public relations of Gaza power plant, Jamalal-Derdisawi said Gaza suffers from a severe electricity crisis, adding that when the plant has completely closed, "the shortage of power in all Gaza Strip reached to 35 percent."

    On Saturday afternoon, the only power plant in Gaza closed down, leaving 35 percent of the Gaza Strip in complete blackout. The last shipment of fuel the plant received was on Wednesday.

    "The amount of fuel we received from Israel on Wednesday to operate the power plant, had run out on Saturday afternoon, and we are waiting to get new fuel shipment from Israel to operate the power station," said Obied.

    Due to Jewish festivals and holidays, Israel had decided to extend the closure imposed on Gaza Strip and the West Bank until Saturday. The Nahal Oz depot for receiving fuel was closed on Sunday.

    Israel had decided to limit the amounts of fuels into the Gaza Strip following an increase of homemade rockets attacks carried out by Gaza militant groups on Israeli towns and communities in southern Israel.