Gaza City has been plunged into darkness after its only power plant was shut down on the third day of a crippling Israeli fuel blockade of the Palestinian territory.

But the blackout did not stop Israel from continuing its military offensive, launching air raids in northern Gaza that killed at least two Palestinians late on Sunday.

Arabs urged to help

Following the blackout, Khaled Mashaal, Hamas's political chief, called on Arab leaders and rival Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, for help to restore power in Gaza City.

"All Arab leaders, exercise real pressure to stop this Zionist crime ... take up your role and responsibility," he said in an interview with Al Jazeera.

"We are not asking you to wage a military war against Israel ... but just stand with us in pride and honor," he said from Syria where he lives in exile.

Abbas urged Israel to immediately lift the Gaza blockade and resume delivery of fuel supplies.

Nabil Abu Rudeina, his spokesman, said Abbas also called for a "special meeting" of foreign ministers of the Arab League to discuss the crisis.

This was in addition to a meeting of ambassadors scheduled for Monday in Cairo.

"If Israel does not lift the blockade in the next few hours, we are going to raise the issue with the UN Security Council," Abu Rudeina added.

Israeli air raids

Israel has continued to push ahead with its military offensive against Palestinian fighters in both Gaza and the West Bank in recent days.

Late on Sunday, at least two Palestinians were killed and two critically wounded in Israeli air raids in the northern Gaza Strip.

Hamas officials said that the target was a group of fighters who launched makeshift rockets into southern Israel.

The Israeli army confirmed carrying out the two missile strikes.

Around 230 Palestinian rockets and mortars have been fired over the border since Tuesday, according to the Israeli military.

At least 36 Gazans have been killed by Israeli fire in the past week.

PHOTO CAPTION 

A Palestinian boy lights candles in his house during a power cut in Gaza January 20, 2008.

Al-Jazeera