SciDev.Net’s Arabic edition reviewed how two years of war changed Gaza as a ceasefire takes effect. Early reports described a collapse of services after water, electricity and fuel were cut and checkpoints closed. Families slept on hospital grounds without water, food or power, and displaced people relied on canned food. More than 2 million residents were deprived of basic necessities.
Local ingenuity also appeared. People repurposed bombed solar panels and recycled batteries to run appliances and charge phones. Some converted plastic waste into fuel, despite environmental and health risks. Small-scale desalination projects, supported by engineers such as Adi Al-Daghma, provided limited clean water.
Agriculture and health suffered severely: satellite images showed farmland turned barren, and over 50,000 farmers lost their livelihoods. Health services collapsed: hospitals were damaged, sewage overflowed, and reports documented outbreaks of hepatitis A and widespread diarrhoea. The UN classified the situation as a famine, with more than half a million people facing starvation. Education and research were hit too, with more than 90% of schools damaged and over 625,000 students affected.
Difficult words
- conflict — A struggle or fight between groups.
- humanitarian — Related to helping people in need.humanitarian crisis
- resilience — The ability to recover from difficulties.resiliency
- adapt — To change in response to new conditions.adapted
- educational — Related to learning and schools.educational resources
- determination — The quality of being firm in purpose.
- initiative — A new plan or action to achieve something.initiatives
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- What do you think is the most important factor for resilience?
- How can outside support help communities in crisis?
- What role does education play during conflicts?
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