Director of ambulance and emergency services Muawiya Hassanein warned of a potential humanitarian disaster as a result of the blackout, resulting from an ongoing fuel shortage. He warned of a severe deterioration in heath services, particularly in children's hospitals, maternity wards, intensive care units and for patients requiring dialysis and premature babies in incubators.
"The health care sector relies on generators ... If their power gets cut off for even five minutes, it could lead to dozens of deaths, including children and patients in critical condition in the operating room," Hassanein said.
The generators, which are in regular use across the Strip owing to the rolling blackouts, require constant maintenance and care, he said.
Hassanein added that hospitals began receiving dozens of patients since the blackout started who can longer power oxygen machines or medical equipment in their homes.
The official said that since 2008, 142 Gaza residents have died in generator-related accidents, noting an increase in house fires. Hospitals have received up to 450 burn victims as a result, 58 of whom were disabled, he added.
The power plant was shut down due to a shortage of fuel. Under current arrangements, the Gaza government is meant to collect electricity bill payments and transfer the cash to the Palestinian Authority, which in turn pays Israel, through which the fuel is transferred.
The Gaza Power Authority blamed Ramallah's finance ministry for failing to make the payments to Israel, while Ramallah officials have insisted that the GPA make a greater effort to collect power bill payments.
Gaza officials cited 50 percent unemployment rates, and the PA announcement Saturday that it will deduct 25 percent from paychecks of employed Gaza residents, as factors making it near impossible to collect sufficient payments to keep the plant running.
This is the third time power plant has been forced to close due to fuel shortage this year.
UPDATE: Gaza restarts generator - enough fuel for a day and a half
Ma'an -- One generator in Gaza's sole power station was restarted on Monday morning, after receiving a limited quantity of industrial diesel, an Electricity Company spokesman said.
Jamal Ad-Dardasawi said "Only 200,000 liters of diesel were delivered to the power station which is enough to run one generator for a day and a half," adding that he hoped more fuel would be transferred to avoid shutting down the station again.
The spokesman also announced an amendment to the emergency electricity distribution program with Gaza residents set to experience eight hours of power, followed by eight hours of cuts.
Ad-Dardasawi further said the Electricity Company delivered $2 million to the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Finance in Ramallah for August, as both sides accuse one another of causing the ongoing electricity crises.
The power station was shutdown on Saturday due to a fuel shortage. Under current arrangements, the Gaza government is meant to collect electricity bill payments and transfer the cash to the PA, which in turn pays Israel, through which the fuel is transferred.
On Sunday, Gaza's hospitals announced a state of emergency following the shutdown. Director of ambulance and emergency services Muawiya Hassanein warned of a potential humanitarian disaster as a result of the blackout, affecting patients on life support and dialysis in particular.
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