By DPA,
Gaza City : Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak late Monday ordered resumed shipments of “limited” amounts of industrial diesel fuel into the Gaza Strip, after six days in which the territory’s border crossings were sealed.
Diesel for Gaza City’s main power plant would be allowed into the strip starting Tuesday, defence officials said.
A decision on whether to reopen goods crossings had yet to be taken, officials told Israel Radio.
Barak’s decision to reopen the Gaza borders to limited amounts of fuel came after a request by special international Middle East envoy Tony Blair during their Monday evening meeting.
Israel shut the fuel and goods crossing points Nov 5, in response to a barrage of rockets that followed the worst clash between Israeli soldiers and Gaza militants since a June 19 ceasefire.
Gaza City was plunged in darkness for several hours Monday night, after its main power plant stopped working allegedly because it ran out of fuel.
The power outage was the first major blackout since the fragile ceasefire took effect. The five-month truce, which is due to expire in 10 days, has largely held, but an Israeli pin-point military incursion Nov 4 and the ensuing rocket barrage put tested the ceasefire agreement. Hamas has threatened not to extend the truce.