The Gaza Strip is expected to run out of fuel for its power station later today, significantly reducing the already small amount of electricity in the beleaguered Palestinian enclave, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

With the outbreak of fighting last Monday, the Israeli military shuttered the Kerem Shalom Border Crossing, through which passes the primary pipeline into Gaza, blocking the flow of fuel to the Strip and reducing the amount of electricity in the enclave to between four and five hours per day.

On Thursday, a senior Israeli defense official said Gaza was due to run out of fuel by Sunday. Asked about the issue today, IDF Spokesperson Hidai Zilberman confirms that this is the case.

“They’ll have trouble operating their power plant because they don’t have fuel. This will have a significant effect on the amount of electricity in Gaza,” Zilberman says.

Source: Judah Ari Gross – TOI

The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry says that 174 Palestinians have died since the beginning of hostilities between Hamas and Israel.

According to the ministry, 47 were children.

Another 1,200 Palestinians were wounded.

Israel has said it doesn’t target civilians, and that most of those killed in Gaza were either members of terror groups or were killed by errant Palestinian rockets.

Source: Aaron Boxerman – TOI