GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - The Gaza Strip is in the midst of an electricity shortage that has left residents with just a few hours of power a day, turning many aspects of everyday life in the Hamas-ruled territory upside down and raising concerns about a humanitarian crisis.
Here's a look at the Gaza power crisis:
WHAT CAUSED THE CRISIS?
+2
File - In this Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017 file photo, a Palestinian family warm themselves up with a fire outside their makeshift house during a power cut in a poor neighborhood in town of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. The Gaza Strip is in the midst of an electricity shortage that has left residents with just a few hours of power a day, turning many aspects of everyday life in the Hamas-ruled territory upside down and raising concerns about a humanitarian crisis. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra, File)
Here's a look at the Gaza power crisis:
WHAT CAUSED THE CRISIS?
+2
File - In this Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017 file photo, a Palestinian family warm themselves up with a fire outside their makeshift house during a power cut in a poor neighborhood in town of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. The Gaza Strip is in the midst of an electricity shortage that has left residents with just a few hours of power a day, turning many aspects of everyday life in the Hamas-ruled territory upside down and raising concerns about a humanitarian crisis. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra, File)
Gaza's power woes began in 2006, when Israel bombed the territory's power plant after Hamas-allied militants captured an Israeli soldier.
It took years for the plant to be fixed, but due to its limited capacity and growth in Gaza's population, it provides just a small fraction of the territory's needs. As a result, Gaza relies on electricity purchased from neighboring Israel and Egypt.
For several years, Gaza has scraped by with roughly eight hours of electricity a day. But in recent months, the situation has worsened due to a combination of factors.
The power plant has not operated since April after emergency fuel shipments, purchased from Israel by Hamas allies Qatar and Turkey, ended. Electricity deliveries from Egypt, which is busy fighting its own Islamic militants, are unreliable, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, locked in a bitter rivalry with Hamas, wants to reduce electricity purchases for Gaza by about 40 percent.
This reduced supply, combined with peak demand during the Ramadan holiday season, has created rolling blackouts that give people just two to four hours of power at a time.
It took years for the plant to be fixed, but due to its limited capacity and growth in Gaza's population, it provides just a small fraction of the territory's needs. As a result, Gaza relies on electricity purchased from neighboring Israel and Egypt.
For several years, Gaza has scraped by with roughly eight hours of electricity a day. But in recent months, the situation has worsened due to a combination of factors.
The power plant has not operated since April after emergency fuel shipments, purchased from Israel by Hamas allies Qatar and Turkey, ended. Electricity deliveries from Egypt, which is busy fighting its own Islamic militants, are unreliable, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, locked in a bitter rivalry with Hamas, wants to reduce electricity purchases for Gaza by about 40 percent.
This reduced supply, combined with peak demand during the Ramadan holiday season, has created rolling blackouts that give people just two to four hours of power at a time.
WHAT IS THE EFFECT ON DAILY LIFE?
The blackouts are most noticeable at night, when Gaza City, the territory's capital, and other population centers are largely in the dark.
Residents must carefully plan daily tasks such as doing the laundry or taking a shower when they expect to have power, even if that means waking up in the middle of the night. Many Gazan homes use electric water pumps, so no electricity also means no water.
Many homes and businesses also rely on gasoline-fueled generators to keep the lights on or elevators running for a few extra hours a day. Others turn to large batteries to run household appliances. A privileged few can afford solar panels to provide hot water, and a new industry of ice salesmen has sprouted up to help keep refrigerators cool.
Still, most residents are unable to keep their refrigerators running full-time and instead go shopping each day for items like milk and meat.
Power-hungry appliances like air conditioning are rarely used, and in the hot summer weather, many residents flock to the beach at sundown to break the daily Ramadan fast because their homes are so uncomfortable.
The blackouts are most noticeable at night, when Gaza City, the territory's capital, and other population centers are largely in the dark.
Residents must carefully plan daily tasks such as doing the laundry or taking a shower when they expect to have power, even if that means waking up in the middle of the night. Many Gazan homes use electric water pumps, so no electricity also means no water.
Many homes and businesses also rely on gasoline-fueled generators to keep the lights on or elevators running for a few extra hours a day. Others turn to large batteries to run household appliances. A privileged few can afford solar panels to provide hot water, and a new industry of ice salesmen has sprouted up to help keep refrigerators cool.
Still, most residents are unable to keep their refrigerators running full-time and instead go shopping each day for items like milk and meat.
Power-hungry appliances like air conditioning are rarely used, and in the hot summer weather, many residents flock to the beach at sundown to break the daily Ramadan fast because their homes are so uncomfortable.
WHAT DOES ABBAS WANT?
The Islamic militant group seized control of Gaza in 2007 from Abbas' forces, leaving him in control only of autonomous zones in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Abbas, claiming to represent all Palestinians, has paid for Gaza's electricity for the past decade. But after repeated failures at reconciliation with Hamas, he has decided he no longer wants to subsidize the group's rule.
The Islamic militant group seized control of Gaza in 2007 from Abbas' forces, leaving him in control only of autonomous zones in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Abbas, claiming to represent all Palestinians, has paid for Gaza's electricity for the past decade. But after repeated failures at reconciliation with Hamas, he has decided he no longer wants to subsidize the group's rule.
WHAT IS ISRAEL'S STRATEGY?
Israel and Hamas are bitter enemies that have fought three wars since the Gaza takeover.
While Israel is wary of helping Hamas maintain power, it has delivered the limited flow of electricity for pragmatic reasons: It does not want a humanitarian disaster on its doorstep, and it fears further deterioration could lead to renewed violence.
Israel's Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman tried to describe the crisis as an internal Palestinian matter on Thursday and said Israel is merely a "supplier."
"We are not a side in this issue. They pay, they get electricity. They don't pay, they don't get electricity," he said, accusing Hamas of wasting its limited funds on weapons and attack tunnels.
But Israel may have no choice but to find a creative way to keep the power flowing, such as finding an international donor to pay for it.
Israel and Hamas are bitter enemies that have fought three wars since the Gaza takeover.
While Israel is wary of helping Hamas maintain power, it has delivered the limited flow of electricity for pragmatic reasons: It does not want a humanitarian disaster on its doorstep, and it fears further deterioration could lead to renewed violence.
Israel's Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman tried to describe the crisis as an internal Palestinian matter on Thursday and said Israel is merely a "supplier."
"We are not a side in this issue. They pay, they get electricity. They don't pay, they don't get electricity," he said, accusing Hamas of wasting its limited funds on weapons and attack tunnels.
But Israel may have no choice but to find a creative way to keep the power flowing, such as finding an international donor to pay for it.
IS THERE ANYTHING HAMAS CAN DO?
The internationally isolated Hamas is in a grave financial crisis. Already struggling to pay the salaries of its thousands of civil servants and security men, it cannot afford to buy fuel. It also is unlikely to significantly cut spending on its military activities - the base of its support.
It will continue to appeal to Abbas to resume the fuel purchases and will likely seek help from Qatar and Turkey. But both countries are distracted with their own problems and in Qatar's case, under heavy international pressure to cut ties with Hamas.
The internationally isolated Hamas is in a grave financial crisis. Already struggling to pay the salaries of its thousands of civil servants and security men, it cannot afford to buy fuel. It also is unlikely to significantly cut spending on its military activities - the base of its support.
It will continue to appeal to Abbas to resume the fuel purchases and will likely seek help from Qatar and Turkey. But both countries are distracted with their own problems and in Qatar's case, under heavy international pressure to cut ties with Hamas.
WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE?
Residents are clearly suffering, and many privately express dissatisfaction with the widespread poverty and hardship under Hamas rule.
But the group maintains an iron grip on power and has quickly suppressed any signs of public dissent. For Gazans, there does not seem to be any alternative in sight.
Residents are clearly suffering, and many privately express dissatisfaction with the widespread poverty and hardship under Hamas rule.
But the group maintains an iron grip on power and has quickly suppressed any signs of public dissent. For Gazans, there does not seem to be any alternative in sight.
Associated Press writers Fares Akram in Gaza City and Ian Deitch in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
+2
File - In this Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017 file photo, Palestinians chant slogans during a demonstration against the chronic power cuts in Jabaliya refugee camp, Northern Gaza Strip. The Gaza Strip is in the midst of an electricity shortage that has left residents with just a few hours of power a day, turning many aspects of everyday life in the Hamas-ruled territory upside down and raising concerns about a humanitarian crisis. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra, File)
+2
File - In this Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017 file photo, Palestinians chant slogans during a demonstration against the chronic power cuts in Jabaliya refugee camp, Northern Gaza Strip. The Gaza Strip is in the midst of an electricity shortage that has left residents with just a few hours of power a day, turning many aspects of everyday life in the Hamas-ruled territory upside down and raising concerns about a humanitarian crisis. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra, File)
somebody has to take care of these people and their families, because they don't know how to take care of themselves
they live their life hating, wanting to destroy and kill a certain demographic, they only know anger and violence
beginning to sound familiar?
they live their life hating, wanting to destroy and kill a certain demographic, they only know anger and violence
beginning to sound familiar?
Gaza in the Dark - Efraim Inbar (BESA Center-Bar-Ilan University)
Hamas wants Israel to supply it with electricity "or else," but there is no reason why Israel should submit to Hamas extortion. There is no strategic or moral reason why Israel should supply free electricity to Gaza.
The billions of euros transferred to the Palestinians over the past two decades have been squandered through ineptitude and misappropriated through corruption.
Very little aid has filtered down to the people. Hamas leadership, however, continues to be enriched by it.
The writer is professor emeritus of political studies at Bar-Ilan University.
Hamas wants Israel to supply it with electricity "or else," but there is no reason why Israel should submit to Hamas extortion. There is no strategic or moral reason why Israel should supply free electricity to Gaza.
The billions of euros transferred to the Palestinians over the past two decades have been squandered through ineptitude and misappropriated through corruption.
Very little aid has filtered down to the people. Hamas leadership, however, continues to be enriched by it.
The writer is professor emeritus of political studies at Bar-Ilan University.
Gaza's Humanitarian Crisis Is Fake News - Hillel Frisch (Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies-Bar-Ilan University)
- One of the most widespread myths about Gaza is that it is wallowing in poverty and forever on the verge of a humanitarian crisis as a result of the Israeli and Egyptian blockade. But indicators such as life expectancy, growth in imports, and electricity demand suggest that the Gazan standard of living is rising, not declining.
- Life expectancy in Gaza is above both the world average and the average in the Arab states.
- Even with the blockade imposed on Gaza, in 2016, 14,460 trucks of produce crossed from Israel into Gaza every month.
- Even the electricity crisis in Gaza points to a rising standard of living. According to Muhammad Abu Amarayn, the spokesperson of the Gaza Energy Commission, there is a need for 450 MW of electricity in Gaza. The UN estimated peak demand in Gaza in 2010 at 280 MW. This means that demand for electricity in Gaza has increased by 60% in six years.
- The answer to any humanitarian crisis would be for the world community to join forces with the Palestinian Authority, Israel, and by now most of the Gaza inhabitants to force Hamas to dismantle its military infrastructure and spend its money on human welfare rather than terrorism.
- The worst thing that can be done is to increase humanitarian aid before the disarming of Hamas.
The writer is a professor of political and Middle East studies at Bar-Ilan University and a senior research associate at the BESA Center.
