GAZA, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Islamic Hamas movement on Monday slammed Israel for reducing electricity supply to Gaza Strip, the coastal enclave that the movement has been ruling since 2007.
"The Israeli occupation will be fully responsible for the consequences of reducing electricity supplies to the Gaza Strip," Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said in an emailed press statement.
He said that the taxes Israel collects from the goods shipped to the Gaza Strip are "enough for covering the electricity running cost and other expenses."
Earlier Monday, Gaza Electricity Distribution Company's spokesman Ahmad Abu Al-Amrin announced that Israel began to implement its government's decision of reducing 8 megawatts of electricity supply to Gaza.
Israeli cabinet decided early the month to reduce electric power supply to Gaza as requested by the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), which rules the West Bank.
"Instead of having four hours of electricity, it will go down to three hours due to the Israeli reduction," Al-Amrin said.
The company warned in an emailed statement to reporters that Israel's reducing electricity supply to Gaza would worsen the shortage of power and "bring the daily living situation to a dangerous and risky situation."
Gaza's basic need of electricity is 500 megawatts, but now it only receives around 150 megawatts, including 120 megawatts from Israel and 30 megawatts from Egypt.
Gaza's sole power station, which halted operation in April, used to supply the area with 60 megawatts of electricity. The plant was forced to shut down due to disputes between Hamas and the PNA.
