Watan-A viral video is circulating showing celebrations among a number of Gaza Strip residents following the return of electricity to several areas in the region after the war reached its 89th day.
The video captures lively celebrations among Palestinians in Gaza, especially among children, as electricity is restored after a prolonged outage.
فرحة عارمة بعد عودة الكهرباء لمناطق في قطاع غزة، بعد انقطاع 86 يوما، و”كأنها الحرب انتهت”. pic.twitter.com/FiBuL4yy1I
— مجلة ميم.. مِرآتنا (@Meemmag) January 1, 2024
“The scenes of celebrations among Palestinians after the return of electricity resemble the atmosphere that follows the end of wars waged by the occupying army on the Gaza Strip.
The occupation besieged Gaza and deprived it of electricity
It is noted that since the start of the Israeli occupation army’s war on the Gaza Strip, it has intensified the imposed blockade on the region, depriving its residents of electricity along with various essentials for life.
Since the beginning of the war, the Israeli Electric Company halted the supply of electricity to Gaza in response to the ‘Operation Flood of Al-Aqsa,’ plunging the Strip into complete darkness.
Under normal circumstances, the Gaza Strip requires 500 megawatts of electricity daily, but only 120 megawatts come through Israeli lines, and another 60 to 70 megawatts are produced by the Gaza power station. Alternative energy sources generate between 15 to 20 megawatts. However, the Israeli occupation army destroyed any chance of obtaining electricity in Gaza, further increasing pressure on the citizens within the framework of the imposed blockade on the Strip.
A dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza
The Israeli war on Gaza has created dismal living conditions, forcing the residents of the territory, numbering 2.3 million people, to leave their homes or the places they sought refuge in to save their lives.
Israeli evacuation orders, deemed by the United Nations as a threat of forced displacement—a war crime—have caused profound confusion. Even when residents make the painful decision to leave their homes, they find the options nearly impossible, with no safe places to go.
Israeli airstrikes and the blockade on Gaza have resulted in millions facing hunger, cold, and a severe health catastrophe.