The residents of the Gaza Strip are increasingly suffering from a severe shortage of fuel, which has led to a dramatic rise in electricity and gas prices, exacerbating the ongoing energy crisis in the region. Petroleum products have become an additional burden for citizens, with the price of one kilowatt of electricity exceeding ten times what it was before the war.
The prices for kilowatts generated from commercial generators range from 2.5 shekels (around $0.80) to between 20 and 30 shekels (between $7 and $10). Given the current conditions, many families can no longer afford to pay the high electricity bills, deepening their daily crises.
Details of the Crisis
In addition to the electricity crisis, residents of Gaza are facing extreme difficulty in obtaining cooking gas. The lack of resources supplied since the last aggression has forced the population to resort to using wood for cooking, reflecting their economic and health capabilities to cope with these hardships. Additionally, Abdullah Jamal, a worker in this field, states that Gazans are forced to ration their stored gas consumption even when limited quantities are available.
According to available data, the Israeli occupation has allowed shipments of gas and fuel to enter since the ceasefire agreement; however, the incoming quantities do not exceed 14.7% of the required amounts. Government statistics indicate that only 1,190 trucks of fuel have been allowed in out of a total of 8,050 trucks required.
Background & Context
The Gaza Strip suffers from multiple crises due to the prolonged blockade and ongoing wars. For more than two and a half years, the public electricity grid in Gaza has been destroyed, forcing residents to rely on private power generators, which have become essential for their daily lives. As of October 2023, the fuel crisis has significantly worsened, with the Ministry of Energy in Gaza recording a notable increase in the prices of alternative energies due to the scarcity and irregularity of supplies.
A spokesperson from the Petroleum Authority in Gaza stated that there is an urgent need for gas and fuel to improve economic conditions, emphasizing the necessity of increasing supplied quantities to ensure the provision of basic services to citizens. Comparatively, the daily consumption rate of a family in Gaza before the crisis was approximately 12 kilograms of gas every 25 days.
Impact & Consequences
The lack of fuel and electricity has negatively impacted various sectors in Gaza, including health, transportation, and public services. The demand for transportation has risen due to soaring fuel prices, with the price of a liter of diesel reaching around 90 shekels ($29) under the worst conditions. This sharp rise in prices results from fuel scarcity and high transportation costs, placing additional burdens on citizens.
Business enterprises are also suffering significantly, leading to the dismissal of many workers and technicians, while several small and medium-sized enterprises continue to close down. Meanwhile, the Gazan street does not receive adequate compensation from the existing authorities, as international support is also insufficient to counter these ongoing crises.
Regional Significance
The situation in Gaza poses numerous challenges at the regional level. The increasing humanitarian crises resonate in other countries experiencing similar conditions, raising concerns about the repetition of scenarios faced by Gaza in various areas of the region. Immediate solutions to these crises require international cooperation and consensus on the importance of providing essential resources as a vital element for humanitarian aid.
The citizens of Gaza hope that conditions will improve in the near future, but the numerous challenges they face necessitate greater efforts from the outside world and the international community to alleviate their suffering and spare them the harsh scenarios they are currently living through.