The only working power plant in Palestinian-controlled Gaza was shut down on Wednesday after it ran out of fuel amid intense fighting between Israel and Hamas, which launched a devastating offensive that has resulted in the deaths of more than 1,200 Israeli lives.
The loss of power will leave residents of the Gaza Strip, a densely populated enclave that serves as the Palestinian militant group’s stronghold, without electricity as Israel continues its relentless bombing campaign against Hamas sites ahead of an expected ground invasion.
The attack came on a day when the U.S. State Department issued an updated total confirming that at least 22 U.S. citizens had been killed from the fighting in Israel with a still-undetermined group of Americans among the 150 or so hostages Hamas fighters seized.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and to the families of all those affected,” the State Department said in a statement.
Jerusalem cut off supplies for Gaza, including food, water, and fuel, after Hamas fighters swarmed through the barrier over the weekend and launched deadly attacks on nearby Jewish communities across southern and central Israel.
Hospitals in the Gaza Strip are running on backup generators with fuel likely to run out in the coming days, officials with the World Health Organization said.
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“They have exhausted the supplies WHO pre-positioned before the escalation. The life-save health response is now dependent on getting new supplies and fuel to health care facilities as fast as possible,” the World Health Organization said in a statement.
WHO officials said they remain “gravely concerned” about the health and well-being of the hostages taken by Hamas fighters during their attack.
“The hostages’ health and medical needs must be addressed immediately, and we call for their safe release,” WHO officials said.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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