Israel Matzav

Hamas seizing half the fuel transferred to the Gaza Strip

Here's another reason why Hamas is apparently willing to cut off Gaza's fuel supply: Hamas has been seizing half of whatever Israel ships there (Hat Tip: Memeorandum).

Hussein al-Sheikh, a PA official, confirmed to Haaretz that Hamas seizes half the amount of fuel transferred by Israel to the Strip. The amount confiscated is approximately 400,000 of the 800,000 liters of diesel transferred to Gaza weekly and intended for uses such as generators, hospitals, water pumps and sewage pumps. In contrast, Hamas uses this fuel for militant purposes.

Israeli sources said Hamas was preventing the pumping of all the fuel from the Nahal Oz depot's reserves and funneling it to the Strip's gas stations. In the past week, only a small amount of fuel and diesel was pumped from the depot, leaving some 820,000 liters of diesel and 200,000 of gas in the depots, they said.

"Hamas is trying to create a false fuel crisis in the Gaza Strip," a senior government source said. "The simulated strike by Gaza's gas-station owners is also organized by Hamas. They want to create long lines for gas and a feeling that Israel is tightening the siege on Gaza, although this is not the case," he said.

Israel has discussed the situation with European Union officials in charge of financing Gaza's fuel.

Israeli sources said they were concerned that in addition to fuel, Hamas would try to create the impression of a food shortage, although food supplies were sufficient.

That fits right in with the attack on Nahal Oz, doesn't it? And soon, we will see televised pictures of Gazans sitting in darkened rooms with their curtains drawn in the middle of the day, won't we?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:25 AM