Gaza to receive fuel from Egypt via Rafah

Gaza's Energy Authority will prepare pipes, pumps, and tanks on Tuesday to receive fuel from Egypt via Rafah following an agreement with Egypt's General Petroleum Authority to ease the ongoing power crisis. Egypt will initially deliver car diesel through the terminal until industrial diesel could be transferred, reported Palestinian news agency (Ma'an). The announcement follows weeks of widespread power shortages in the Gaza Strip. Since Egypt shut off fuel deliveries via underground tunnels in February, Gaza's power plant has shut down twice. Earlier this month, President of Energy and Natural Resources Authority in Palestine Dr. Omar Katana had stressed the importance of speeding the incorporation of the Gaza Strip to the Eight Country Interconnection Project with neighboring Arab countries in order to minimize an electricity crisis pressuring citizens in light of a 12-hour electric shortage everyday. The Eight Country Interconnection Project involves interconnecting the electrical grids of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Turkey.