Gaza Families Endure Darkness as Power Crisis Persists Despite Ceasefire
Weeks after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas brought a fragile calm to the Gaza Strip, many Palestinian families are still struggling to rebuild their lives without one of life’s most necessary resources, electricity.
In a small apartment in Gaza City, Hanan al-Joujou, a mother of three, prepares meals for her children each night using the dim glow of a flashlight. “We thought when the bombing stopped, things would return to normal,” she said quietly. “But we are still living in darkness.”
The ceasefire, which ended weeks of intense fighting, was expected to pave the way for humanitarian relief and infrastructure repairs. However, Gaza’s electricity network remains in ruins, with damaged power lines, fuel shortages, and limited access to spare parts delaying restoration. For many residents, power is available for only a few hours a day, and in some areas, not at all.
Local authorities say that while reconstruction efforts have begun, the process is painfully slow due to restrictions on the entry of essential materials and ongoing logistical challenges. The territory’s sole power plant operates far below capacity, and fuel deliveries are inconsistent. “Even after the ceasefire, we still cannot guarantee stable electricity,” said a spokesperson for Gaza’s Energy Authority. “The infrastructure damage is massive.”
Families like Hanan’s are bearing the brunt of these shortages. Without electricity, food spoils quickly, children cannot study after sunset, and hospitals rely on emergency generators to keep vital machines running. Aid groups warn that the continued outages are deepening Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, especially as winter approaches.
“The lack of electricity affects every aspect of life, health, education, and safety,” said an official from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. “People are living in unbearable conditions. Many have lost homes and now face nights without light or heat.”
For residents, the emotional toll is as heavy as the physical hardship. Hanan describes her children’s fear when the lights go out completely. “They cry because they think the bombs will start again,” she said. “They can’t tell the difference between war and the blackout anymore.”
International aid agencies have called for urgent action to restore power and rebuild critical infrastructure, but political divisions and security concerns continue to slow progress. Meanwhile, Gaza’s 2.3 million residents remain trapped in uncertainty, caught between a tenuous peace and the unending struggle for normalcy.
“Peace is not just silence after the bombs,” Hanan said, clutching her flashlight. “Peace means being able to live, to cook, to sleep, to see your children’s faces in the light.”
