Region | Palestinian Territories
Gaza universities suspend classes over fuel crisis
Two major Gaza universities suspended classes on Tuesday, saying a fuel crisis in the Hamas-controlled territory was making it difficult for students to travel to school.
- Agencies
- Published: 14:12 April 15, 2008
Gaza: Two major Gaza universities suspended classes on Tuesday, saying a fuel crisis in the Hamas-controlled territory was making it difficult for students to travel to school.
The pro-Hamas Islamic University and Al Aqsa University, identified with Fatah, told students and teachers they could stay at home until next Saturday.
Al Kamalain Shaath, president of the Islamic University, said only about 30 per cent of its 20,000 students had attended class in recent days.
He said most of the Gaza City school's students lived outside the city and "it is not easy to walk".
The crisis took shape after petrol station owners in the Gaza Strip refused to accept fuel supplied by Israel, in protest at smaller quantities piped into the territory.
The situation worsened after Israel's decision to close the Nahal Oz crossing point, where two Israeli civilians were killed in last week's attack by militants on the only terminal for transferring fuel to the Gaza Strip and its 1.5 million people.
Israel's Defence Ministry said it would allow in industrial fuel for Gaza's lone power plant on Wednesday in response to a request from Egypt.
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