JERUSALEM, January 13, 2017 (WAFA) – The United Nations Friday expressed concern over the shortage of electricity in the Gaza Strip and the reaction of Hamas forces to the protests against the power cuts.

Households in the Gaza Strip receive power for only two to three hours a day, augmenting an already deteriorating situation in electricity supply.  

UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, said in a statement that he was following with great concern the situation in Gaza.

"I am following with great concern the tense situation unfolding in Gaza after two million Palestinians have been left with just a couple of hours of electricity per day in the middle of winter,” he said.

Thousands of people demonstrated in northern Gaza on Thursday holding the Hamas authority, which controls Gaza since July 2007, for the power cuts and demanding to get more electricity.

Reports said Hamas forces raided homes of activists and arrested 30 people it said have called for the demonstrations.

“I call for the full respect of the right to freedom of expression, peaceful protest and assembly in Gaza,” said Mladenov on Hamas’ violent crackdown on the protests.

The UN official urged “all responsible authorities” to cooperate to resolve the electricity crisis immediately.

M.K.