Israel Occupation / Apartheid

by Dr Marwan Asmar For the first time in months, electricity has been restored—if only temporarily—to a single street in Jabalia, in northern Gaza. Streetlights flickered back to life on Al Faluja Street, located in the western part of Jabalia Camp, just four kilometres from Gaza City. Installed by Gazan engineers, the lighting is widely seen as an act of defiance against relentless Israeli bombardment over the past two years, which plunged the entire Gaza Strip into darkness by destroying all major power-generating facilities. The illuminated street has offered a rare glimmer of hope to Palestinians returning after prolonged displacement caused by Israeli missiles and bombs. Jabalia, the largest refugee camp in Gaza—once home to around 250,000 people—now lies largely in ruins. Restoring even this modest stretch of lighting required immense effort. Nearly 80 percent of Gaza’s infrastructure, including water facilities, electricity generators, and sewage systems, has been destroyed. Rebuilding will take years, particularly under Israel’s continuing and punishing siege. Even if the lights remain on for only a few hours, their psychological impact is profound. They symbolise hope, defiance, and resistance—affirming that Gaza’s people have not been driven out, as Israel had intended, but have remained steadfast and are determined to rebuild despite overwhelming odds. The lighting of Al Faluja Street is part of wider community initiatives, undertaken with the support of local businesses and municipalities, to provide minimal illumination across different parts of Gaza. One such effort is led by the Noor Al-Mar’rifa Charity in Al-Nuseirat Camp in...Click here to continue reading