Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas

The Palestinian Authority said Wednesday it had agreed to restore payments for electricity in the Gaza Strip after a cut in June worsened a power crisis in the blockaded enclave.

The electricity payments have been a key issue in ongoing efforts at reconciliation between Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip, and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah.

A cut in PA payments to Israel to supply power to Gaza in June reduced the amount being delivered to the Palestinian territory by some 50 megawatts. Many residents had been left with around four hours of electricity per day as a result.

Source:AFP