New Delhi: As the siege by Israeli forces continued, Gaza was left with no electricity, water and internet services as its only power plant shut down after running out of fuel on Wednesday, BBC reported. The blackouts came in the wake of Israel announcing “complete siege” on the Gaza strip and decided to cut of fuel supplies.
“It’s very difficult - we don’t have water, we don’t have internet, we don’t have electricity. We tried to make road trips to the nearest supermarket but it was unsafe because of the explosions,” a Gaza resident told BBC.
Israel vowed unprecedented retaliation after Hamas militant group launched a surprise attack on the country on Saturday, leaving several dead. The Hamas killed hundreds of Israelis in their homes, on the streets and at an outdoor music festival.
In retaliation to the Hamas terror attack, Israel stopped the supply of food, water, fuel, medicine and other essential items into the 40km long Gaza strip wedged between Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea. The only other access for essential items for Gaza, which is home to around 2.3 million Palestinians, was Egypt. However, that was shut down after missile strikes hit the border crossing on Tuesday, news agency AP reported.
According to the AP report, the Gaza power authority had said its only power plant would soon run out of fuel, leaving the territory without electricity.
Residents in the Gaza strip have relied on generators for electricity at houses, offices and hospitals, but being cut off from all potential suppliers, the territory is left with no way of importing fuel for the generators either, AP reported.
Meanwhile, since Saturday’s Hamas assault, Israel military has so far called up a record 3,00,00 nationals for reserve duty, according to reports.
“We have never drafted so many reservists on such a scale,” news agency Reuters quoted Chief military spokesperson Rear-Admiral Daniel Hagari as saying.