The humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip

The humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip continues to worsen, as the Israeli-blockaded sliver is grappling with cold weather coupled with severe fuel and electricity shortage.

Reports coming out of Gaza indicate that heavy rains have caused flooding in the besieged Gaza Strip, turning the roads into rivers. Meanwhile, contaminated water has also flown in the streets due to the interruption of electricity.

According to reports, the situation in Gaza is so tough that even emergency crew are unable to help people due to lack of rescue equipment.

For over a month, Palestinians residing in Gaza have been living on an average of six hours of electricity per day after its sole power generating plant was forced to close down as a result of fuel shortage.

Fuel and electricity shortages in Gaza have intensified after the Egyptian government’s closure of Gaza tunnels. The tunnels were the only lifeline for Palestinians living under the Israeli siege.

On December 8, school children in the Gaza Strip staged a demonstration in front of the house of acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas, blaming him for the ongoing power crisis in the Palestinian territory.

Gaza has been under Israeli blockade since 2007. The siege has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the impoverished enclave, having turned the territory into the world’s largest open-air prison.