EntertainmentNews Israel cuts electricity supply to Gaza, targets Hamas written by Taiwo Adediran June 12, 2017 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, plots Hamas downfall Israel decided to reduce electricity supplied to the Gaza Strip in order to cripple the Islamist Hamas movement, Israeli Public Security Minsiter Gilad Erdan told Kan radio on Monday. “They [Hamas] receive support from Qatar and have received aid from other countries in the past, but they usually choose to put the funds towards building up infrastructure towards terrorism,” Erdan said. Israel’s security cabinet had unanimously decided to slice the supply of electricity to Gaza, already in the throes of an electricity shortage, by about 40 per cent late Sunday, Israeli media reported. The decision was made after an earlier request by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that the Palestinian Authority no longer pay for Gaza’s electricity purchased from Israel, Haaretz newspaper said. Israel has been automatically deducting the costs from the Palestinian taxes it collects on goods sent to Palestinian areas. The request is seen as a way for Abbas and his ruling Fatah party to put pressure on the rival Hamas movement to cede control over Gaza. However, Israeli military officials warned that cutting electricity could worsen the situation in the Gaza Strip and escalate violence. The some two million residents of the coastal enclave have dealt with electricity shortages for years and currently have electricity for only about four hours a day after its only power station closed. Qatar is under pressure from its neighbours to stop funding terrorist activity, including Hamas. Gaza has been under a tight Israeli blockade since 2007, when the Islamic group took over the region. (dpa) Join our twitter community : Follow @royaltimesng 0 comment 0 Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest Taiwo Adediran previous post Acting president to sign 2017 national budget today next post 24 Boko Haram insurgents arrested in Auchi You may also like French President Elect, Emmanuel Macron to be sworn-in... May 9, 2017 BBNaija 2018: I will go for counselling –... April 26, 2018 2023 Election: Court orders INEC to resume continuous... November 22, 2022 DSS speaks on allegedly withdrawing its operatives attached... June 4, 2018 KwaraSouth: Sen. Rafiu commissions Secretariat for Baales, Magajis... September 29, 2018 3,800 new cases of HIV recorded in Borno... April 6, 2017 The Ninth Kwara State House of Assembly has... June 7, 2023 Democratic Republic of Congo Sentence Colonel to Death October 3, 2023 FG pays N375.8m to 20 Whistleblowers June 7, 2017 Fed govt, states, local govts share N467.8bn for... April 26, 2017 Leave a Comment Cancel Reply Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ