Israel has allowed fuel to be delivered to Gaza's power plant, averting the possibility that it would be forced to shut down within hours.

Palestinian officials had warned that the plant would run out of fuel on Wednesday, plunging large areas of Gaza into darkness.

The resumption of supplies followed mediation by the European Union.

Israel is restricting fuel supplies to Gaza in an attempt to halt rocket attacks by Palestinian militants.

Human rights organisations denounce the policy as an illegal collective punishment, but Israel insists that its actions are legitimate.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called the cutting of fuel supplies punitive and unacceptable.

Sporadic supplies

An Israeli military statement issued on Tuesday morning said that it was allowing one million litres of diesel into Gaza.

This was confirmed by Palestinian officials in the West Bank, who estimated that this amount of diesel would power Gaza's power station for three days.

The deputy head of the energy department in Gaza, Kanaan Obeid, said he expected about 800,000 to 1 million litres of diesel to be brought into Gaza on Wednesday.

The EU pays for the fuel supplies.

The power plant in Gaza City supplies a third of the strip's electricity. The remainder is supplied from the Israeli grid, with a small portion coming from Egypt.

The last Israeli shipment of diesel and cooking oil to Gaza took place a week ago.

Israel's policy of limiting fuel supplies is part of an attempt to force the Hamas militant group that runs Gaza to stop rocket fire into Israel. Rocket fire has dropped off recently but not ceased.

Fuel supplies have been more sporadic that usual recently due to attacks by militants on the Nahal Oz depot through which they pass.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7362498.stm