Palestine Today reports that there are severe diesel and construction material shortages in Gaza.
Egyptian security forces have managed to stop nearly all the smuggling traffic to Gaza, in a new crackdown before the planned June 30 demonstrations in Egypt. Egyptians themselves are suffering from a huge petrol shortage (see here for a video of a miles-long line to get fuel) so it is doubtful that there is much cheap fuel available for Gazans.
Israel does provide some diesel as well, but at normal market prices, not the subsidized Egyptian fuel prices. But even that is running out in Gaza as people are hoarding fuel, anticipating a potential meltdown in Egypt.
The sudden shortage of construction material smuggled from Egypt has caused building in Gaza to be at a virtual standstill. Dozens of workers are losing their jobs, and with Ramadan coming up in a couple of weeks they are nervous.
Tunnel owners are calling the current crackdown on smuggling "unprecedented."
Israel did stop shipping goods earlier this week in the wake of a barrage of rockets from Gaza, but it seems to have resumed Wednesday and continued today.
I am looking for stories about Egypt's inhumane siege of Gaza, but I'm having trouble finding them.
