Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Monday that he was ready to run Gaza Strip crossings if Israel ends its siege on the coastal enclave, well-informed Palestinian sources said.
The sources, which spoke on the condition of anonymity said in a statement sent to reporters that President Abbas was ready to run Gaza Strip crossings "in the frame of his request from Israel to end the siege imposed on the enclave."
The sources close to Abbas also said that Israel agreed to allow fuels into Gaza only to operate Gaza power station that supplies around half of Gaza population with electricity. The station completely closed down on Sunday due to fuel shortage.
On Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak decided to shut down all Gaza Strip crossings, and bar fuels for operating Gaza power station and for cars. Basic food supplies were also banned by Israel into Gaza.
The fuel ban induced a humanitarian crisis in Gaza City and its suburbs, where its population was left without electricity for two complete days. Lack of electricity led to a water shortage and damaged the sewage system.
"President Abbas held contacts with several world countries expressing readiness to run Gaza crossings and to bring the situation back to allowing free access for goods and humans," said the sources in the statement.
Also in the day, a spokesman for the deposed Hamas government in Gaza told a news conference that "the government would study any initiative to run Gaza Strip crossings to serve the highest interests of the Palestinians."
Taher al-Nono said so far there was no plan or proposal presented to his government, adding "we will study any proposal that serves our people's interests."
All Gaza crossings, on the borders with Israel and on the borders with Egypt had been closed down since Hamas movement seized the Gaza Strip following bloody fightings with the security forces loyal to Abbas in mid June last year.
Abbas, in response, sacked the Hamas-led unity government and formed a new government in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Source: Xinhua
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