Gazans have increasingly become dependent on firewood to keep warm following the strengthening of the Israeli siege on the Strip coupled with the dropping winter temperatures.
Since 2014, Gaza’s only electricity plant has been running at only half capacity following the Israeli shelling of the facility, it was partially rebuilt but is still incapable of working at its full ability.
Photo story: Winter storm brings snow to Palestine
Israel has also cut electricity supply lines to the Strip; it claims this is the due to technical problems.
Currently, the rate of wood purchase has risen by 40 per cent with each tonne worth $330. Gaza also suffers from a severe shortage of wood due to Israel’s continuous razing of trees in the farmlands along the eastern Gaza border.
Images by MEMO photographer, Mohammad Asad.