2026-06-12
Gaza's Energy Sector: How an Entire City Was Plunged into Darkness
When the evening of October 7, 2023, arrived, residents of the Gaza Strip did not realize that one of the longest periods of darkness in modern Palestinian history had just begun. Within a few days, the energy system—which had already been suffering from chronic crises for years—collapsed, plunging Gaza into an unprecedented phase of near-total power outages, turning fuel into a scarce commodity, and making energy the epicenter of a humanitarian, economic, and health crisis that extended to every home, institution, and hospital.
The destruction of the energy sector was not merely a technical or economic loss; rather, it dealt a direct blow to the foundations of civil life in the Strip, where all vital sectors rely on electricity: water, sanitation, hospitals, communications, education, as well as industrial and food production.
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First: The Reality of Energy in Gaza Before the War
Prior to October 2023, the Gaza Strip was already suffering from a chronic electricity deficit. The Strip's daily requirements ranged between $500$ and $600\text{ MW}$, while the actual available supply did not exceed $220\text{ MW}$ under the best circumstances.
**The primary sources of electricity were:**
* **The Gaza Power Plant:**
* Established in 2002.
* Original design capacity: approximately $140\text{ MW}$.
* Relied entirely on imported industrial fuel.
* **Israeli Feeder Lines:**
* 10 main supply lines.
* A total capacity of nearly $120\text{ MW}$.
* **Egyptian Lines:**
* Capacity ranging between $15$ and $20\text{ MW}$.
* Served parts of the southern Gaza Strip.
Despite these sources, residents lived under a daily rationing system that involved 8 to 12 hours of power outages even before the war.
Second: The Early Days of the War.. The Onset of Collapse
Between October 7 and 11, 2023, the energy system suffered its first major shock. The Israeli authorities announced the cessation of electricity and fuel supplies to Gaza, and the feeder lines gradually stopped operating.
On October 11, 2023, the Palestinian Energy Authority announced the total shutdown of the sole power plant after its fuel reserves were completely depleted.
**From that moment onward:**
* Electricity was cut off across the vast majority of the Strip.
* Hospitals became entirely dependent on emergency generators.
* Thousands of economic facilities ceased operations.
* Gaza entered a phase of "complete reliance on limited humanitarian fuel".
Third: The Destruction of the Electrical Grid
The crisis was not confined to fuel shortages; the grid itself sustained extensive destruction. By the end of 2024, assessment teams indicated that the majority of the electrical infrastructure had been destroyed or severely damaged.
Key Documented Damages:
* **Transmission and Distribution Networks:**
* 🔴 Destruction of more than 3,080 kilometers of electricity lines.
* 🔴 Damage to thousands of electrical poles.
* 🔴 Extensive destruction of underground cables.
* 🔴 Dozens of transformer stations rendered out of service.
* **Electrical Transformers:**
* 🔴 Destruction or damage of approximately:
* 1,980 overhead transformers.
* 125 ground transformers.
* **Operational Facilities:**
* 🔴 Severe damage to:
* Control centers.
* The electricity company’s warehouses.
* Maintenance workshops.
* The technical vehicle fleet.
Fourth: Direct Financial Losses
According to technical studies issued by experts from the Electricity Distribution Company, the financial losses are detailed as follows:
| Item | Loss Value |
| --- | --- |
| **Damage to Networks and Facilities** | $259.85 million |
| **Loss of Revenue** | $212.3 million |
| **Total Direct Losses** | **$472.15 million** |
However, these figures do not include:
* National economic losses.
* Indirect damages.
* Full reconstruction costs.
Consequently, more recent estimates indicate that the bill for the electricity sector alone may exceed **$700 million** once the assessment is fully completed.
Fifth: The Fuel Crisis
If the destruction of the grid represents one side of the crisis, the fuel shortage is the other. Since October 2023 and up to the present day:
* Fuel supplies have faced recurrent interruptions.
* Entering quantities have been subjected to severe restrictions.
* Priority has been strictly given to hospitals and water plants.
**This crisis has led to:**
* **Hospitals:** Scaling back surgical operations, shutting down certain departments, and threatening the functionality of intensive care units.
* **Water:** A decline in the production of desalinated water, the shutdown of numerous wells, and a reduction in water pumping to households.
* **Communications:** Recurrent disruptions to telephone and internet services, and the halting of numerous transmission stations.
Sixth: Solar Energy.. The Last Resort
Before the war, thousands of homes and institutions relied partially on solar energy. However, the war resulted in:
* 🔴 The destruction of a large number of solar panels.
* 🔴 The theft or loss of batteries due to displacement and widespread destruction.
* 🔴 System failures due to the total absence of maintenance.
Despite this, solar energy remained one of the most critical, yet limited, sources of electricity available to the population during the war years.
Seventh: The Impact of Energy Collapse on the Health Sector
The health sector serves as the clearest example of the gravity of the electricity collapse. Modern hospitals rely on electricity for:
* Operating rooms.
* Mechanical ventilators.
* X-ray and imaging machines.
* Laboratories.
* Incubators for premature babies.
* Kidney dialysis units.
During the war, generators turned into a lifeline, while fuel became a decisive factor in keeping hospitals operational.
Eighth: Impact of the Crisis on Water and Sanitation
Before the war, desalination and wastewater treatment plants consumed a significant portion of the electricity generated in Gaza. With the collapse of energy:
* Numerous stations shut down completely.
* The production of clean water declined sharply.
* Environmental pollution risks escalated significantly.
* Quantities of untreated sewage flowed directly into the sea.
Consequently, securing water became one of the most prominent daily challenges for the population.
Ninth: The Economy in the Dark
The energy crisis cannot be separated from the broader economic collapse. Electricity serves as the primary engine for all economic activity. With its collapse:
* 📌 Factories shut down.
* 📌 Production workshops were disrupted.
* 📌 Food industries suffered severe declines.
* 📌 Cold chains completely collapsed.
* 📌 Production costs soared at unprecedented rates.
Operating a private generator for just a few hours a day became a financial burden that exceeded the capacity of most enterprises.
Tenth: Reconstruction and Future Challenges
According to estimates by the World Bank, the United Nations, and the European Union, Gaza requires more than **$53 billion** for reconstruction and recovery. The energy sector will be one of the most costly and complex sectors due to the following reasons:
* Widespread destruction of grids.
* The need to replace thousands of transformers.
* Rehabilitating the sole power plant.
* Upgrading transmission and distribution systems.
* Introducing large-scale renewable energy solutions.
Energy experts believe that rebuilding the electrical system could take many years, even if full funding is secured.
More than two and a half years after the outbreak of the war, the electricity crisis in Gaza is no longer just a service disruption; it has become one of the defining features of the war itself. Behind every number related to energy lies the story of a hospital fighting to survive, a water well that ceased to function, a factory that shut its doors, or a family that spent endless nights in total darkness.
Electricity in Gaza has transformed from a public utility into an element of sheer survival. The collapse of the energy sector stands as one of the most stark indicators of the scale of destruction inflicted upon the Strip since October 7, 2023, in a war that has reshaped infrastructure, daily life, and the Palestinian economy in an unprecedented manner..