RAMALLAH, May 29 (Xinhua) -- A shipment of diesel donated by Qatar for Gaza's power plant will enter the Gaza Strip on Sunday, weeks after being stuck at Egyptian warehouses, a Palestinian official said Tuesday.
Nazmi Muhana, the head of the Palestinian borders and crossings body, said that an agreement was reached between the Palestinian National Authority, Israel and Egypt on the delivery of the fuel.
The first amount of diesel, 180,000 liters, will enter Israel from Nitzana crossing between Israel and Egypt. The diesel will pass through Israeli territories and be delivered to Gaza via Kerem Shalom crossing, Muhana said.
Hamas, the Islamic movement that controls Gaza, had intended to receive the fuel from Egypt directly through Rafah crossing point between Gaza and Egypt.
Sources from Hamas said that its government accepted to get the fuel through Israel after Qatar agreed to cover the transportation fees.
The shipment is 30 million liters, enough for keeping the Gaza power plant to run for two months.
The power plant operates at less than half capacity due to the limited diesel shipments. As a result, severe electricity shortage plagues Gaza.
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