(Communicated by the Coordination and Liaison Administration, Erez)

Col. Nir Press, head of the Coordination & Liaison Administration to the Gaza Strip, addressed the issue of UNRWA fuel shortages today (Thursday, 24 April 2008) stating that: “After receiving an update and a request from UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees) regarding the depletion of fuel required by the organization, we yesterday coordinated with UNRWA, the Palestinian fuel association and the Palestinian fuel administrator, the transfer of fuel required by UNRWA. The said transfer arrangement consisted of 100,000 liters of diesel fuel and an additional 20,000 liters of gasoline and was to be drawn from the fuel supply located in the Palestinian fuel depot at Nahal Oz.

The supply accumulated at the Palestinian fuel depot amounts to one million liters. The Palestinians have not withdrawn any fuel during the past month and are not supplying the fuel necessary for humanitarian and civilian requirements. In this manner, the Palestinians, led by the Hamas organization, are manufacturing shortages, hardship and crisis”.

In accordance with the transfer arrangement, the first fuel tanker-truck arrived from the Gaza Strip this afternoon to withdraw fuel for UNRWA. However, tens of thousands of Palestinians blocked one of the main intersections leading to the fuel depot, preventing the entrance of the tanker to the depot and thus preventing the supply of fuel.  

It should be noted that Israel is not involved or responsible for occurrences in the Gaza Strip, for vehicular traffic on the highways, or for access to the organization’s depot.

Israel has supplied UNRWA with the fuel it requires for current operations during the last few months and, since yesterday, has been attempting to assist the organization with the Palestinians and enable it to withdraw its fuel requirements, in a manner similar to that used with regard to diesel fuel supplied to the Gaza City power station. Yesterday approximately one million liters were supplied to the power station, the entire quantity of which reached its destination.

It is our hope that tomorrow the Palestinians will allow the tanker-trucks to reach the fuel depot and supply the UN organizations serving the civilian population in the Gaza Strip.

Unfortunately, we are witnessing once again a Hamas attempt to create a crisis situation in the Gaza Strip at the expense of the civilian population.  The Nahal Oz fuel terminal and the Kerem Shalom crossing have been attacked and the supply of fuel for humanitarian purposes has been obstructed, while the Hamas attempts to direct the resulting pressure at Israel.

Col. Press called on the Palestinians to draw fuel from the Palestinian depot at Nahal Oz and to use it for the various humanitarian and civilian requirements for which it is meant.