In the vicinity of Al Shifa hospital in Gaza City, the Abu Naji family gathers in their tent by a small fire as darkness envelops the street. The night is unusually quiet after over two years of conflict, with only the chirping of crickets and the crackling of the fire breaking the silence. Shrouq Abu Naji hands her children a notebook to tear out pages, the only way to sustain the flickering flame.
“We haven’t had electricity for years,” Abu Naji shared with CBC freelance videographer Mohamed El Saife on Wednesday. Following the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 9, 2023, the Israeli government announced the cessation of electricity, water, food, and fuel supplies to Gaza.
While Palestinians strive to reconstruct their lives amid a delicate ceasefire and scarce resources, teams of electrical workers have commenced efforts to restore power to parts of the Gaza Strip by repairing power lines. The Abu Naji family, residing in a tent in one of the most bombarded areas of Gaza City, relies on a nightly fire for warmth and illumination.
Abu Naji boils water over the open flame for tea and lentils, attempting to maintain a semblance of routine for her family that endured two years of conflict. “We share a cup of tea and a meal before retiring for the night,” she mentioned.
In central Gaza, the Gaza Electricity Distribution Company (GEDCO) faces challenges in reactivating the power grid. Despite electricity being available from Israel following the ceasefire and a functioning power plant in Gaza City, repairs are essential for distribution.
On November 5, crews from the Gaza Electricity Company ventured into the town of Deir al Balah for the first time since the eruption of war. In central Gaza, approximately 20 kilometers south of Gaza City, some buildings remain intact, and damaged power lines are still in place.
Yasen Suwaihli, 50, supervises maintenance work as workers use forklifts to repair power lines, aiming to restore essential services to residents in the Gaza Strip. The crews are striving to fix destroyed power lines on Salah el din road to reinstate electricity to the area.
Muhammad Thabet, an engineer overseeing the operations in the Zuwaida neighborhood, highlighted challenges faced by the crews, including a lack of equipment access. The company awaits additional equipment from Ramallah, north of Jerusalem, yet clearance for entry into Gaza remains pending, hindering their progress.
Despite setbacks, the teams remain determined to bring back electricity to the Gaza Strip. The devastation of the electricity infrastructure exacerbates life-threatening issues, emphasizing the crucial role of electricity in ensuring access to vital resources.
As night falls in Gaza City, Abu Naji readies her children for bed. The fire dwindles, plunging the family into darkness. Her primary concern as a mother now is securing support for her children, who have been deprived of their basic rights. “The children have lost everything they had,” she expressed before the family drifts off to sleep in the quiet night.