Hamas official : Egypt must allow more fuel into Gaza

Egypt's new president must help lift the siege on Gaza by allowing more fuel to enter the coastal enclave, a senior Hamas figure said Wednesday. Ismail Radwan made the comments during a demonstration in the Gaza Strip, adding that the Arab community has a responsibility to help ease the humanitarian problems in Gaza. The international community must also increase pressure on Israel to end the blockade on Gaza, he added. Gaza had been plagued by a fuel crisis since mid-February, when Egypt cut off supplies via a tunnel network under the border between the countries. In May, a ship loaded with about 30 million-liters of fuel as a donation from Qatar, docked at Suez port but its transfer to Gaza was held up as the sides argued over the route of its delivery to Gaza. Hamas wanted the fuel to come through its Rafah crossing with Egypt, bypassing Israel. The sole power plant in Gaza shut down again in June after it ran out of fuel while the Qatari shipment was delayed.