Gaza – Ma’an – The Gaza electric company said on Monday that it will immediately cut power to come areas because Israel’s refusal to allow the import of spare parts to repair the territory’s sole power plant.

The Electricity Distribution Company in said in a statement that Israel has refused to allow equipment and parts needed to repair the plant and the electric grid, both of which were battered during the Israeli military offensive last December and January.

The company said that the power cuts are likely to affect other services including water, hospitals, childcare centers and schools.

The company appealed to the UN and humanitarian organizations to intervene and ensure that Israel permits the spare parts to enter Gaza in order to prevent a “humanitarian disaster.”

The statement added that this potential crisis would affect all of the Strip’s 1.5 million inhabitants.

Israel locked down the Gaza Strip’s borders in June 2007 after Hamas took full control of the territory. In September of that year Israel pronounced Gaza a “Enemy Entity” and introduced further curbs on the import of vital goods.