UNITED NATIONS, April 23 (UPI) -- The Gaza Strip is facing serious power outages if fuel is not allowed into the region soon, U.N. official in New York said Tuesday.
The Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East said in a statement that if fuel is not allowed in by Wednesday, Gaza's power plant will be forced to shut down, causing electricity cuts in most areas of up to eight hours a day.
UNSCO said no diesel or gas has entered Gaza since the 9 April attack by Palestinian militants on the Nahal Oz fuel depot.
To save fuel, the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East is prioritizing food distribution, solid waste removal and sewage projects. An estimated 500,000 Gazans in a dozen communities are without solid waste management.
UNRWA said its own fuel supplies will run out by Thursday, which would force it to suspend the provision of food aid to 650,000 refugees and garbage collection services for 500,000 Gazans.
