ADVERTISEMENTThe International Committee of the Red Cross has hit out at Israel’s policy of targeting power plants on the Gaza strip.
The International aid agency says large fuel tanks at the area’s only power plant were struck yesterday.
Sara Badiei, a water and sanitation engineer for the ICRC, said: “This is the sixth time the plant has been hit and it is now out of service. This was supplying 30% of the electricity.”
Most of the electric lines come from Israel and out of 10 only one is working, she said.
“Sixty per cent of the region has no electricity. Only small pockets are receiving electricity and for only one or two hours. In Gaza City, which has a population of more than 1,000,000, there is no power.”
Ms Badiei says essential infrastructure has to be protected. As soon as they are repaired they are destroyed again.
“They are not part of the conflict. They are needed for civilians,” she said. “Hospitals need electricity but now they have to run on generators.
“Let me make this clear, if there is no electricity, there is no water. We need pumps to push the water.”
She also said the lives of ICRC workers were being put at risk. No electricity meant no telecommunications for experts being sent out to repair power and water lines.
She said the organisation would continue trying to fix electricity, water and sewage lines. It would also try to help to aid the 400,000 people that have been displaced as a result of this conflict.
Israel launched Operation Protective Edge in response to rockets attacks from the strip and in a bid to destroy Hamas’ capabilities and infiltration tunnels into Israel. To date more than 1,300 Palestinians, mostly civilians, and 59 Israelis, including three civilians, have been killed.