Israeli holidays delay deal to reopen Gaza border crossings
Although Israel quickly reversed its decision to stop trucks from entering the Gaza Strip, the delay is shrinking already-strained supplies of essential fuel.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The Gaza Strip should begin receiving fuel imports and consumer goods again May 12 under terms of a cease-fire agreement reached May 6 between Israel and the Palestinian factions under the auspices of Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the decision May 7, just two days after Israel closed the Gaza Strip's border crossings and prevented fuel imports because of a deadly, three-day military escalation between Palestinian factions and Israel that began May 3.
The reopening will wait until May 12 due to Israeli holidays.
When Israel began preventing fuel deliveries May 5, it affected vital sectors of the Gaza Strip, mainly electricity. Citizens, who had only been receiving eight hours of electric power a day to begin with, found their supply cut to six.
