Citizen Abdul Rahman Mahna walks the streets of Deir al-Balah camp, confused and lost, racing against time, searching for a source to charge his dead battery, hoping to gain the ability to light his tent where he has sought refuge in the overcrowded city.
Mahna tells the PIC reporter that the absence of sunlight during winter days disrupts life in indescribable ways, making it impossible to charge mobile phones and batteries, as well as halting internet service and water pumping, among other necessities.
Darkness in the Strip
With the onset of the genocide in Gaza on October 7, 2023, Israel decided to cut off all sources of electricity to the Gaza Strip and prevent fuel from entering the only power station in the besieged area, plunging its cities and towns into complete darkness and halting daily life.
Citizens have tried to adapt as much as possible using solar energy systems, which have seen their prices skyrocket, to charge their phones and batteries and manage their lives minimally. However, this reality clashes with the lack of sunlight during winter days.
The electricity blackout represents one aspect of the genocide perpetrated by Israel in the Gaza Strip, alongside killing, siege, and starvation, creating a terrifying humanitarian situation that UN experts have described as the harshest since the end of World War II.
Learning difficulties
Student Maysa Al-Dirawi races against time to send assignments online to her university teachers before the deadline expires, as her mobile device’s battery dwindles and weak internet connectivity hinders her efforts due to the absence of sunlight during winter days.
Maysa, who lives in the Akila area of Deir al-Balah, says she dislikes the absence of sunlight because it means the energy systems stop working. The sun is the only source of power in Gaza, along with a few diesel generators, which are extremely expensive to operate.
She affirms that the lack of sunlight on many winter days means she cannot keep up with submitting tests and assignments to the university. She has resolved to graduate with high grades and fulfill her dream of studying in the Faculty of Arts, English Department.
She expressed hope for an end to the war and a return to normal life, stressing that remote education is ineffective as it leaves many people in the dark due to the lack of internet and electricity for most residents.
Citizen Mohammed Al-Bayram, who runs a phone and battery charging project in the Mawasi area of Khan Yunis, hopes the sun does not fail to shine on his solar panels. He explains to our reporter that the project allows him to feed his children and those of his brother, who was martyred at the beginning of the war.
As soon as the sun appears, Al-Bayram begins to receive mobile phones and devices in need of charging, neatly arranged on shelves, and he has placed a washing machine in a side corner for locals to wash their clothes for a fee.
Students’ suffering
According to a decision by the Ministry of Education, students in the Strip will study remotely via the internet, which has been protested by many of their families, especially those living in tents.
Many parents believe that the lack of electricity and internet significantly reduces their children’s opportunities to study. Student Mai Abu Ma’liq, who is in her final high school year, confirms to our reporter that when the sun is absent, she cannot follow lessons online.
She said, “We have become primarily dependent on the sun; its absence means life halts entirely, even if we manage to get a little energy.” She appeals to the world to intervene to stop the injustice faced by Gaza’s residents and the systematic killings they endure day and night for the past 14 months.
Citizens across the Gaza Strip suffer from the threat of evacuation and displacement, leading to significant hardships and indescribable pain, as the Israeli occupation deprives the residents of safety, stability, and food since the onset of the genocide.
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