GAZA, April 13, 2010 (WAFA)- The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) expressed, today, grave concern over the ongoing deterioration of the humanitarian conditions of the civilian population due to widespread electricity blackouts.

The operation of Gaza Power Plant has been stopped since 10 April because the industrial fuel required to operate the Plant ran out. “PCHR is concerned that the current crisis may impact the population's access to vital services, including water supplies, and that this crisis may result in the suspension of work in some vital sectors such as health, sanitation and education,” PCHR said.

It specified that exams in Gaza schools and universities are very close and electricity blackouts will affect students' preparations.

The operation of Gaza Power Production Plant was totally stopped, Saturday, 10 April 2010. Vice President of the Power Authority in Gaza Cana'an 'Obeid, announced that the operation of the four turbines in the Plant was totally stopped due to the lack of industrial fuel.

The five governorates of the Gaza Strip have been impacted by this new crisis and the civilian population has endured additional suffering due to the repeated electrical outages. Dozens of civilians reported that many of their electrical devices were disrupted because of the high voltage that is supplied when the electrical power returns. The new developments of the electrical crisis have resulted in the outage of the electrical power in large areas in the Gaza Strip. Power is provided for eight hours and then cut off for another eight hours every day. This power reduction is expected to increase. There are concerns that the suffering of the civilian population may increase and their access to basic services, including health services, education, water, sanitation services and other major services, may be affected.