Gaza's last power station shut down Wednesday, causing blackouts for about 2 million people after disputes between the Palestinian Authority and Gaza's Hamas rulers led to fuel shortages.
A recent tax dispute involving the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, led to energy cuts leaving Gazans with just four hours of daily electricity in an energy crisis that began in April, Newsweek reported. At the time, the PA told Israel it would no longer pay for electricity provided to Gaza as political relations in the region worsened.
The last turbine at the Gaza plant, which is located in southern Gaza City, was turned off late Wednesday.
Blackouts have lasted for more than 24 hours, leaving Gazans without air conditioning, refrigerators and freezers and hampering local schools, hospitals and businesses, Newsweek noted.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas asked Israel to cut shipments of power to the region in an attempt to pressure Hamas to cede power, The Associated Press reported. Hamas has ruled Gaza since 2007.
Fuel from Egypt also helped power the region, allowing the station to run at half capacity since June 21, but a recent attack on Egyptian soldiers near the border disrupted delivery, the AP said.
"Israel, the PA and Hamas are using 2 million Gaza residents—a majority of whom are children—as pawns in their shameful game of political one-upmanship," Sari Bashi, an advocacy director on Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, told Newsweek.
"Each exercises control over the lives of civilians in Gaza and each bears responsibility for their human rights and welfare," she added.
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