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Gaza lights back on as Israel eases curbs

Militants fire rockets and clashes break out at border with Egypt.

Israel sent fuel to Gaza's power plant on Tuesday, easing its five-day blockade of the Palestinian territory amid growing international concern about a humanitarian crisis.

The United States warned Israel not to add to the hardship for ordinary Palestinians but blamed the problem on Gaza's Islamic Hamas rulers. Israel imposed the siege in response to increasing rocket attacks on its border communities by Gaza militants.

Despite the easing of the closure, Palestinian militants fired 19 rockets toward Israel on Tuesday, the military said, up from just two on Monday.

The lights were back on in most of Gaza City by Tuesday afternoon after a blackout that lasted almost two days. But Gazans still vented their anger.

Hundreds of Hamas supporters briefly broke through the Gaza-Egypt border and clashed with Egyptian riot police who fired in the air, injuring 70 people on both sides. The protesters hurled insults at Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, calling him a coward.

Hours later, masked Palestinian gunmen detonated explosives early today next to the wall at the Gaza-Egypt border, causing several holes in the barrier, witnesses said. Dozens of residents waited to cross in Egypt as Hamas forces gathered on the scene.

Israel and Egypt have banned most crossings in and out of Gaza since Hamas seized control of the territory in June. Egypt has kept its border closed.

In a clash early today with Israeli forces near the closed Sufa crossing into Gaza, a Hamas militant was killed, Palestinian officials said.

Pictures of blacked-out Gaza City, children marching mournfully with candles and people lining up at closed bakeries evoked urgent appeals from governments, aid agencies and the U.N. for an end to the closure, though Israel maintained all along that Hamas created an artificial crisis.

The Defense Ministry ruled late Tuesday that 60,000 gallons of diesel fuel will be transferred into Gaza daily, but the crossings will remain closed to other goods and people.

Throughout the closure, which cut power to a third of Gaza's 1.5-million people, hospitals kept running on generators. But most bakeries shut down, and long lines formed at those that were open. A shipment of cooking gas sent in by Israel sold out in an hour.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the Bush administration has spoken to Israeli officials "about the importance of not allowing a humanitarian crisis to unfold." Israeli officials were receptive, she said, adding that she faults Hamas for the situation.

The International Committee of the Red Cross called for Israel to lift the blockade and prevent a collapse of health and sanitary services.

[Last modified January 23, 2008, 02:03:29]