Gaza families still without electricity despite ceasefire

Palestinian mother Hanan al-Joujou, aged 31, is forced to feed her three children in the dark, using a flashlight, as there is no electricity in Gaza, even after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas last month.

When they cannot afford to charge the flashlight, they go without food.

“We stay in the darkness once the sun sets and the Maghrib prayer is called,” al-Joujou explained, referring to the Muslim sunset prayer. “If the flashlight is available, we use it. If not, we go to sleep without food or light.”

Her family has been without electricity since the war began more than two years ago, initially relying on candles when they were displaced to the city of Rafah in southern Gaza.

Eventually, they abandoned even that, fearing the risk of fire in their tent. "We tried a simple LED light, but it broke. We can't afford to repair it. We tried to get a battery, but it's too expensive and unavailable," al-Joujou said.

Before the war, Gaza largely relied on imported electricity from Israel, though the supply was often unreliable. It received 120 megawatts from Israel, while Gaza's sole power plant provided an additional 60 megawatts, according to officials.

After Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people, according to Israeli reports, Israel imposed a "total siege" on Gaza. Within days, Gaza’s power station ran out of fuel, and electricity was cut off.

In response to questions for this article, the Israeli military stated that civilian infrastructure, including electricity facilities, was not an intentional military target. It also said measures were taken to minimise harm to “civilians and civilian structures,” while also pointing out that Hamas operated from within civilian areas.

Now living in a displacement camp in Nuseirat, central Gaza, most family activities cease once the sun sets. Hanan’s children also use the flashlight for homework, charging it when possible.

“We can barely make ends meet for our daily needs,” said Hanan’s husband, Ahmed, aged 35.

Some residents run charging points powered by solar energy or private generators, given that Gaza’s electrical grid and cables have been destroyed in the war.

Mohammed al-Hor’s family operates one such charging business using solar power. They set it up in their own home, which was hit by an Israeli strike. “The charging point was also bombed, and my brother was martyred inside,” said the 32-year-old. Punishment

In March 2024, Israeli Minister Eli Cohen stated he had instructed the Electric Corporation to stop selling electricity to Gaza as a punitive measure against Hamas.

However, even after the ceasefire, restoring power to Gaza — which has been decimated by Israeli bombardment — would require a massive rebuild of the infrastructure.

The war has already destroyed over 80% of Gaza's electricity distribution network, with initial estimated losses to infrastructure and machinery amounting to $728 million, according to the media director of Gaza's electricity company.

"For the past two years, no electricity has reached Gaza. The amount of electricity reaching Gaza is zero," Mohammed Thabet, the company’s media director, told Reuters, adding that pre-war needs were 600 megawatts.

COGAT, the Israeli military unit responsible for overseeing aid flows into Gaza, stated that Israel remains fully committed to facilitating the entry of humanitarian aid trucks, which include fuel for electricity, in line with the ceasefire agreement.

COGAT also noted that the Kela power line from Israel had been connected to support two desalination plants.

In July 2024, Israel connected a power line to a UN-managed desalination plant in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis to provide additional drinking water to Palestinian residents.

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