Defense Minister Ehud Barak has ordered the renewal of diesel fuel deliveries to power plants in the Gaza Strip starting on Wednesday.
The diesel will be delivered by way of the Nahal Oz fuel depot, which was attacked last week by Palestinian terrorists who killed two depot employees during the raid.
Sources in Barak's bureau said the decision came about due to pressure from Egypt's leadership.
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At this point, only diesel fuel for Gaza power plants will be provided, and the supply of gas for the remainder of the population's needs will not be renewed.
Earlier on Monday, the Gaza Strip's four main universities shut down after officials said students couldn't get to class because of fuel shortages.
University officials said attendance rates were down by at least 60 percent for most classes on Monday, prompting the suspension. Most universities will suspend classes until Thursday, when officials said they would put together an emergency education plan. That may include conducting some lectures over the Internet and radio, officials said.
The shutdown affected more than 45,000 students.
Al-Hayat: Israel offers Hamas terms for temporary Gaza Israel has offered Hamas terms for a temporary cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, the London-based Al-Hayat daily quoted Palestinian sources as saying on Monday.
The sources said that through Egyptian mediation, Israel has proposed a limited cease-fire that would be effective in the Strip alone and would not include the West Bank.
According to the report, the offer has also been extended to the Islamic Jihad militant group. The terms of the truce would include greater Israeli flexibility on border crossings for six months in exchange for a halt in rocket fire, said the report.
The sources said that Hamas is likely to accept the proposal. Islamic Jihad and associates of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas were opposed to the offer, said the sources, because it does not include the West Bank.
Meanwhile, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Sunday that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has refused to commit to an Egyptian initiative for an unofficial cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.
Erekat made the comments on Sunday after Olmert and Abbas met for surprise talks in Jerusalem on Sunday, just days before the Palestinian leader was scheduled to set off for Washington to meet U.S. officials.
Erekat said Abbas asked Olmert to agree to the Egyptian proposal; to arrange an unofficial truce, but that Olmert would not make any commitments on the matter. Israel refuses to deal with Hamas.
About three weeks ago, Al-Hayat reported that Israel offered Hamas and Islamic Jihad a year-long cease-fire in return for an end to Qassam rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip on its southern communities.
An official in Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's bureau denied the report, saying: "There are no direct or indirect contacts with Hamas. Our position is that if they don't shoot at us from Gaza, we won't shoot back."
Al-Hayat also reported then that the Egyptians said Israel is ready to be flexible with regard to the operation of Gaza's border crossings.
