Israel will renew fuel deliveries to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip on Wednesday after a deadly attack on a fuel terminal last week caused Israel to cut supplies, the Defence Ministry said today.
Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak's decision to restore deliveries came after Egypt asked Israel to allow fuel to reach Gaza's power station, a Defence Ministry statement said.
"The intention is to open the terminal on Wednesday," said ministry spokesman Shlomo Dror, but added the opening could be delayed if Israel determines there are serious security threats to the fuel terminal.
The statement said Israel will renew diesel fuel supplies to Gaza's power station "according to the minimal quantities decided in the past", as well cooking gas deliveries.
Two Israeli civilians were killed in last week's attack by militants on the border crossing at Nahal Oz, the only terminal for piping fuel to the Gaza Strip and its 1.5 million people.
Two Palestinian militants and two civilians were also killed when Israeli troops responded.
Palestinian officials in Gaza said Nahal Oz's closure would force the territory's only power plant to be shut down, causing blackouts.
Officials with the European Union, which supplies fuel to the Gaza plant, had said there should be enough fuel to last until Wednesday or Thursday.
Hamas Islamists seized the Gaza Strip after routing Fatah forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in June, prompting Israel to tighten its cordon of the coastal territory.
Israel accuses Hamas of preventing distribution of fuel to create a crisis to pressure Israel to ease its blockade.