The war caused a severe humanitarian collapse. Israel cut off water, electricity and fuel, and checkpoints closed to aid trucks. Displaced families slept near hospitals without power or clean water. Many people lived on canned food. More than 2 million residents lacked basic services.
Alongside this hardship, people used local ideas to cope. They repurposed solar panels and recycled batteries, and some converted plastic into fuel despite health and environmental risks. Small-scale desalination projects gave some clean water, and engineer Adi Al-Daghma helped with these efforts. Farms were badly damaged and over 50,000 farmers lost livelihoods.
Difficult words
- creativity — The ability to make new ideas or things.
- supply — The amount of something needed or provided.supplies
- difficult — Not easy; hard to deal with.
- initiative — Plans or actions taken to improve a situation.initiatives
- fuel — A substance that provides energy.
- family — Groups of people related to each other.families
- plastic — A common material used for many products.
- seed — A small part of a plant that can grow into a new plant.seeds
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- What are some ways people can adapt during difficult times?
- Why is it important to protect seeds for farming?
- How can creativity help solve problems in crisis situations?
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