Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has called on Israel to immediately lift its closure of Gaza after a halt to fuel deliveries forced the closure of the territory's sole power plant.
Mr Abbas called on the Israeli government to lift its blockade of Gaza immediately and allow the entry of fuel 'to facilitate the lives of the innocent and enable the proper functioning of hospitals which are facing a crisis that is putting lives at risk,'
The Palestinian president also called for a 'special meeting' of foreign ministers of the Arab League to discuss the crisis.
'Israel does not lift the blockade in the next few hours, we are going the raise the issue with the UN Security Council,' the spokesman said.
The Gaza Strip has been under complete blockade since Thursday after Israel closed the border in response to persistent mortar and fire rocket fire from the territory.
Gaza has been outside Mr Abbas' control since the Islamist Hamas movement seized power after a week of deadly clashes last June.
Several hundred Palestinians held a candle-lit rally in the centre of the West Bank political capital of Ramallah to show solidarity with their compatriots plunged into darkness in Gaza.
