The sole power plant in central Gaza Strip was forced to stop producing electricity early on Wednesday after it was hit by Israeli tank shells, Palestinian officials said.

Fathi Shekh Khalil, deputy chairman of the Gaza-based energy corporation, said in a press statement that several tanks shells landed in the surroundings of the plant, and caused damaged to the generators.

He also said engineers and technicians with Gaza Energy Corporation were currently unable to get into the plant to fix the problems, adding that they were waiting for the Red Cross in order to reach the area.

Apart from that, Khalil noted that the severe lack of fuel also contributed to the electricity outage in the Gaza Strip.

The complete power off in Gaza has further intensified an already rapidly growing humanitarian crisis on the ground, where the number of killed Palestinians is rising at a horribly alarming pace.

"Being without electricity, it would certainly affect the humanitarian services offered to the populations during the war on Gaza, mainly hospitals, water and sewage systems," said Sheikh Khalil.

Israel has been carrying out a large-scale offensive on the coastal enclave for two weeks, proclaiming that the aim of the operation is to defang Hamas and other Gaza militants, and bring calm to Israel.

Barrages of rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel, while, in return, thousands of missiles were launched on the Gaza Strip, leaving more than 650 Palestinians dead, and more than 4, 000 others wounded. Endi

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