The Cairo government sent 22 trucks loaded with diesel fuel through the Rafah Crossing between Egypt and Gaza on Friday evening, carrying another delivery for the enclave.
إعلام معبر رفح: فتح معبر رفح البري مساء الجمعة لإدخال 22 شاحنة وقود مصري إلى قطاع غزة pic.twitter.com/S5hmpeWhIC
— وكالة صفا (@SafaPs) June 30, 2017
The delivery comes just a little over a week after Egypt sent one million liters of the desperately-needed fuel to Gaza’s sole power plant.
The fuel is being sent in the wake of a decision by Israel to reduce its supply of electricity to Gaza in compliance with a demand by Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas, who refused to pay for the supplies.
Abbas has tightened his fist over the enclave in an effort to force Gaza to knuckle under after ten years of autonomous existence, and to prove to Gaza residents their government is not “leading.”
In 2007, the enclave’s ruling Hamas terrorist organization ousted the Palestinian Authority’s ruling Fatah faction – led by Abbas – in a bloody coup, seizing control of Gaza.
Since that time, Abbas has been entirely unable to enter the region, and Fatah residents have been essentially under siege, whereas Hamas operatives are moving in and out of Palestinian Authority-controlled areas of Judea and Samaria with increasing freedom, and establishing stronger networks by the day.
Were it not for Israeli Defense Forces operating in Judea and Samaria, Hamas and its terrorist allies, predominantly the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, would have long since seized control over the Ramallah-based Abbas-run government as well.