IDF: Gaza fuel cuts don't violate humanitarian duty

Israel's decision to cut fuel supplies to the Gaza Strip does not violate its responsibility to provide humanitarian services to residents of the coastal territory, an Israel Defense Forces official maintained on Monday.

Shlomi Muchtar of the IDF Coordination and Liaison Office, which coordinates Palestinian civilian affairs, wrote in an affidavit to the High Court of Justice that the cuts do not "harm the humanitarian minimum to which Israel is committed."

The affidavit was submitted after High Court justices last week ordered the State Prosecution to present data affirming that Israel's move would not affect the humanitarian needs of the civilian population of the Gaza Strip.

The affidavit said that Israel intends to cut diesel fuel supplies for transportation purposes from 1.4 million liters per week to 1.2 million, and diesel fuel supplies for power stations from 2.2 liters per week to 1.75 liters.

According to IDF calculations, humanitarian needs require 800,000 liters of diesel each week. "And that's a strict estimate," the affidavit said. More...