Gaza | Primitive methods to cope with the harshness of winter

2024-11-19 2024-11-19T08:40:09Z

Arab Weather - Under the intense flight of Israeli warplanes that roam the skies of Gaza around the clock, Fayez Al-Azzameh and his team work to produce charcoal from the remains of trees that were bulldozed by the occupation forces during their ground incursion into the east of Khan Yunis and areas in the southern Gaza Strip.
Al-Azzameh said in his interview with the media:

“It’s a very unhealthy and scary job in a war,” he says, as the sounds of explosions from airstrikes and artillery shelling can be heard. “We work all the time with these explosions, and we fear being targeted by an airstrike or an artillery shell.”

Fighting the cold with charcoal in Gaza

With the onset of winter and the increasing cold weather, the residents of Khan Yunis have resorted to producing coal as an alternative source of energy. The residents use coal for heating and cooking as an alternative to fuel and cooking gas, due to the severe crisis in the Gaza Strip resulting from power outages, the unavailability of alternative energy sources, and their unprecedented high prices.

The difficulty of living and working in war conditions

Under these difficult circumstances, Al-Azzameh does not care about the risks he faces in order to secure a living for his family, who have suffered from repeated displacement since the beginning of the war. He says:

“We no longer have many options to survive and provide food and water for our children.” The look of misery is evident on his face due to the harsh working conditions, where he spends long hours exposed to the thick smoke from burning wood.

Firewood collection risks

Workers bring firewood used in charcoal production from agricultural lands near the security fence east of Khan Younis. Al-Azzammeh describes the task as “extremely dangerous,” as reaching these areas is an adventure that could cost the worker his life.

Rising prices of firewood and charcoal

Due to the heavy reliance on firewood and charcoal as alternative fuels, their prices have risen to unprecedented levels and their quantities in the markets have decreased. Al-Azzameh adds: “The war has affected us in everything, and we are now facing great difficulties in providing for our needs.”

Coal production process

Al-Azzameh explains the details of the charcoal production process, saying:

The firewood is cut into small pieces and stacked in the shape of a pyramid, then covered with straw and a layer of sand, creating small craters from which thick smoke is emitted as a result of setting fire to the straw and burning the firewood.

After that, the workers wait several days until the wood is completely burned and turns into charcoal, which is then packaged and sold in the markets.

Difficulty of buying coal in Gaza

Due to the war and economic conditions, many residents can no longer afford to buy coal due to its high prices. The price of a kilogram of coal is currently 20 shekels (about 6 dollars), while before the war its price did not exceed 5 shekels (less than 2 dollars).
Imported coal was the main source of income for Gazans before the war, but the occupation prevented its entry through the Kerem Shalom crossing, the only commercial crossing under its control. The occupation also continued to control the Rafah land crossing with Egypt, which exacerbated the humanitarian crisis experienced by the residents of the Strip.

The suffering of the displaced in tents

Many displaced people living in tents and shelters resort to using charcoal for heating and cooking, especially with the onset of winter. Al-Azzameh always warns his clients of the dangers of using charcoal indoors due to its danger.

Gazans resort to primitive alternatives

Over the years, Gaza residents have become accustomed to using firewood and charcoal since the occupation imposed the blockade in mid-2007. Their suffering has increased with the ongoing electricity crisis and the occupation’s manipulation of the movement of the crossings, which has forced them to resort to primitive methods to confront the crises.
Due to the high prices and crises resulting from the war, a phenomenon has emerged of children collecting wood, cardboard and plastic to use in lighting fires inside clay ovens. These children work long hours to help their families face poverty and hunger.
In one of the shelter schools near Nasser Medical Complex, Umm Ali Abu Amsha, a displaced woman and mother of 11 children, relies on a clay oven built by her husband. She says:

“Prices are skyrocketing, my family is large, and we have difficulty providing our daily needs.”

Umm Ali and her family live in tragic circumstances after losing their home and livelihood. The family moves from one place to another, and suffers from cold and infectious diseases inside the shelters.
The war has deprived some 650,000 children of education, and many of them have been forced to work in harsh conditions to support their families. These children reflect the daily suffering experienced by the people of Gaza due to the siege and war.