Jehan Alfarra, IMEU, Mar 20, 2012
No`man Al Khuzondar is the guard of a seven-story residential building in the Tal Al Hawa neighborhood of Gaza City. He is in his twenties, thin, and new to the job. As he was picking up the trash bags outside an apartment in the morning and carrying them downstairs, he said with a low voice, “You know, I have been working here for a few months now and never complained. Electricity cuts were never something new; it’s been 6 years of scheduled power cuts after all. But, this month… this month has really been rough.” Complaining about (literally) the extra weight on his shoulders, he continued, “I knew when power would be on and when it would be out. At least half of the week I could collect the trash bags and bring them downstairs using the elevator. Now, I have to go to every apartment, four on each floor, take the trash, and carry it downstairs myself and come back upstairs for the rest.”
Photo of destroyed power plant in Gaza (credit: Palestinian Center for Human Rights)
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Collecting trash bags is not No`man’s only job; he is also responsible for the comfort of the residents and handling water pumping into the apartments, something that has been for the first time a problem for those living in Gaza. Whereas the problem of water has always mainly been one of water pollution, with the lack of water desalination plants and only 5% of Gaza’s water being suitable for consumption, this time access to whatever water that is available has become severely restricted. No`man is not responsible for the fuel shortage that caused the power crisis. It is his duty, however, to ensure that water is pumped from the ground into the tanks, then into the taps and toilets of the apartments in that building. “Where on earth am I supposed to get electricity? If it goes out 12-18 hours a day, how am I supposed to pump the water up into the tanks during my work hours? If someone can’t find water to cook, to take a shower, to flush the toilet, or to even brush their teeth, they come to me. Well, I am having the same problem myself! All I can do is fill dozens of bottles when electricity is on and distribute them for use when there is no water.” he added, cheerlessly.
According to OCHA, the shortage of electricity in the Gaza Strip dates back to June 2006, when the Israeli Air Force destroyed all six transformers at the sole Gaza Power Plant during an air strike. Five months later, the power plant resumed production, but at a significantly reduced level. The imposition of the Israeli blockade and the restrictions on imports exacerbated the already dire energy situation, and forced the people of Gaza to turn to underground tunnels for trade and access to fuel and power generators more than anything else in the Gaza market. On February, 14, 2012, the Gaza power plant shut down after Egypt cut fuel supplies through the tunnels, and since then the power plant has shut down three times, leaving Gaza facing up to 18 hours of power cuts per day, a disruption of almost all aspects of daily life.
With the Strip experiencing an unexpectedly cold, stormy, and rainy winter this season, the average household has found it extremely difficult to get any heat because of the situation with electricity. On the other hand, Mohammed Afana, owner of a store that sells frozen goods, says he is thankful to God it is still winter. “I would have lost thousands of dollars more had it been summer right now,” he said, “because a power generator cannot run my entire refrigeration system, noting that there is barely any fuel for generators too, and all of the meat would rot. I have lost enough money in recent years, and I hope there will be a solution to this situation before the weather is all hot and humid again.”
Generators line the street in Gaza City (credit: http://msuliman.wordpress.com)
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The power generator industry is indeed thriving in the Strip. Almost every household, every shop, and every corner in Gaza now has a mobile back-up generator to the extent that some young men in Gaza find it to be a never-dying work opportunity in the coastal enclave. Power generators have caused over a hundred deaths and countless injuries in Gaza since 2010, whether due to carbon monoxide poisoning, or fires erupting as the result of incorrect use. Even generators, also imported through the tunnels, have been difficult to rely on these days due to a lack of fuel, which even when found is still extremely costly.
All of these problems relating to the electricity and fuel shortage do not even scratch the surface. While the water, sanitation, refrigeration, education, and daily life of ordinary people in Gaza have been affected by the crisis, key issues such as hospitals, health and mental health remain most important of all. Hospital power generators and Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) devices are designed to function for long periods of time and minimize the damage of power fluctuations. However, fuel is needed to run these devices and the lack of spare parts is aggravating the situation. Dr. Ashraf Al-Qidra, director of the Public Relations and Information Department at the Ministry of Health, stated that, “More than 80% of patients in the Gaza Strip are threatened by deteriorating health and the possibility of death due to a lack of electricity.”
The occupation and continuing siege have not only caused a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, but also an unprecedented human dignity crisis. Gaza’s young men and women are continuously trying to make fun of the situation in order to diminish the growing sense of distress and anger that is taking over the strip. Ahmed Al Shurafa got married a little over a month ago and says that the power crisis is only making his marriage grow more romantic with candles as the only option to light the house each evening. And on Facebook and blogs, Gazans are posting cartoons, jokes, rhymes, and videos about electricity in Gaza. Some say electrical cables function more like swings, others say they will transform into ‘Batman’ and start saving people from light-villains.
The Hamas authority in Gaza and Egypt have not yet reached an agreement, saying since the crisis began that they are negotiating a long term solution to the problem. Meanwhile, the occupation and Israeli siege continue. This paints quite a bleak picture and gives a vivid snapshot into the lives of those who live in a place where electrical power has become some sort of a luxury, and yet a few miles across the border into Israel, it is taken for granted.
For who does not understand the need or concept of resistance of Palestine, recommended read: History of Resistance | The Eagle of Palestine
- Special Topic | All Israeli Massacres on Palestinians
- iRemember… | Confirmed Names of Martyrs Occupation 2011 *
- Special Topic | Ethnic Cleansing
- Israeli escalation in Gaza | A “cover-up for settlement activity
- History of 1000′s years of Zionist Genocide | The Promised Land
- The Palestinian Right of Self Defense
Photography
| Gaza Under Attack – March 14, 2012 – Photography | |
| Gaza Under Attack – March 13, 2012 – Photography | |
| Gaza Under Attack – March 12, 2012 – Photography | |
| Gazz Under Attack – March 11, 2012 – Photography | |
| Gaza Under Attack – March 10, 2012 – Photography | |
| Gaza Under Attack – March 2012 – Photography | |
| Gaza Under Attack – Feb 2012 – Photography | |
| Gaza Under Attack – Jan 2012 – Photography | |
| Gaza Under Attack – Dec 2011 – Photography | |
| Gaza Under Attack – Oct-Nov 2011 – Photography | |
| Gaza Under Attack – Aug-Sept 2011 – Photography | |
| Gaza Cast Lead Massacre – Photography |
Israel is not looking for Peace
- Israel is NOT looking for Peace but for this: “Greater Israel” Published by Radical Settler Movement
- On Aug 30,2010 Before previous peacetalks Netanyahu VOWED NO CONCESSIONS: “Eretz Israel” stretches from the med 2 river jordan INCL West Bank & Gaza
- With his OP-ED in #NYT anny Danon confirmed Netanyahu as well: “Making the Land of Israel Whole“
- Recently: Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin said: “The land of Israel is ours in its entirety“
- Knesset to vote on full Israeli annexation of the West Bank
- Read what Israel thinks about US: Netanyahu: ‘America is a thing you can move very easily
- Netanyahu: ‘We won’t renew settlement freeze to lure PA to talks’
- Israel plans 1000′s more settlement units as legislators call for FULL ANNEXATION of the WEST BANK
- Ayalon: Settlement in Jerusalem not for discussion | October 16, 2011
- Occupation planning to build 1.000.000 housing unites in next 10 years | October 26, 2011
- Read, what Leaders of Zionism spoke about the Endlösung for Palestine
- Israel’s Endlösung is going on for 63 years. List of All massacres
- The massacre which is NOT covered by your local media: 2011
- What is being ignored: Gaza Under Attack – in pictures
- Save yourself time, Forget all details. It is only about this : Ethnic Cleansing
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ஜ۩۞۩ஜ
Martyred By Israeli Occupation Attacks
انّا للہ و انّا الیه راجعون
May Allah Subhana wa Ta’ ala grant the Shuhada Jannatul Firdaus, and ease it for their families, loved ones and anyone around them. Allahumma Ameen ya Rabbil Alameen. ‘ Inna Lillahi wa ‘ Inna ‘ Ilayhi Raji’un, Allahu Akbar
ஜ۩۞۩ஜ
* The list of shuhada does not display, the numerous victims of the zionist occupation which are undocumented by media. Nor it displays the victims of the “silent onslaught” due to restrictions of movement, ability to go to hospitals for treatment or life saving surgery, due to lack of medication because of the blockades and so on. For example: The Slow Motion Genocide by the Siege on Gaza only, killed 600 patients since Gaza got under Israeli Siege.
For an overview of All Israeli Massacres Palestinians go here
Neither does this list, display the avoidable mortality. A clear and statistical factual evidence, about the number of deaths due to indecent ruling by occupation forces. For even an occupier has obligations under International Laws, Geneva Convention and the Hague regulations, which it is neglecting. These circumstances, together with deliberate policies of the occupier to neglect and even deny every basic human right, severes avoidable mortality which is totally silenced by media or reporting organisations. While in the Holocaust, 1 on 6 Jewish people directly died of deliberate neglect, so if we believe the facts over 1 million due to avoidable mortality, neither should these same circumstances be ignores which are ongoing in Palestine. For this report displays a avoidable morality of at least 0,5 million Palestinians.
How many more dead corpses of Palestinians does the international community need to see in order to act? How many more cruelties and violations of Human Rights, Regulations and International Law will be needed to intervene so this ongoing warcrime is being stopped once and for all.