Israel gives UN aid agency fuel in Gaza Strip

Occupied Jerusalem: Israel delivered fuel on Monday to a UN aid agency in the Gaza Strip, a day after the organisation said fuel shortages would force it to halt food deliveries to many refugees in the Palestinians enclave.

Peter Lerner, spokesman for Israel's military coordinator for Gaza, said the fuel was piped into the Gaza Strip "as requested" by the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which provides aid to about a third of Gaza's population.

UNRWA spokesman Christopher Gunness said the fuel would be enough to continue their food delivery operations for approximately 20 days.

Gaza has been facing a fuel shortage because of Israeli restrictions on supplies and a strike by Palestinian fuel distributors in protest at those restrictions.

UNRWA said on Sunday the lack of fuel would force its food distribution programmes to be halted on Monday, affecting some 650,000 people.