Gaza Herald – Gaza’s electricity sector has suffered catastrophic destruction during the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza, with 85% of the territory’s power distribution network damaged or destroyed and more than 3.2 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity denied to the population since October 2023, according to officials from Gaza’s electricity distribution company.
Mohammad Thabet, spokesperson for the Gaza Electricity Distribution Company, revealed that restoring the sector to its pre-war condition would require approximately $1.5 billion, describing the devastation as one of the most severe blows to Gaza’s already fragile infrastructure.
The Israeli attacks have destroyed 85% of power distribution networks, 90% of company warehouses, and 75% of operational facilities and branch offices across the Strip. More than 5,100 kilometers of electrical lines have been damaged, while initial losses are estimated at $977 million, a figure expected to rise as large areas remain inaccessible due to ongoing Israeli attacks.
Before the war, Gaza relied on electricity supplied through Israeli power lines and its sole power plant, providing around 180 megawatts combined. Today, the territory has been left without any stable source of electricity, forcing hospitals, water facilities, municipalities, and humanitarian institutions to depend on limited generators and shrinking fuel supplies.
The human toll has also been significant. According to Thabet, 48 electricity company employees, engineers, and technicians have been killed, nearly 100 others injured, and more than 50 contracted workers have lost their lives during the genocide.
Officials warn that rebuilding Gaza’s electricity system could take three to five years, even if reconstruction materials are allowed to enter immediately. The sector requires thousands of utility poles, hundreds of kilometers of power cables, transformers, heavy equipment, and specialized machinery to restore even basic services.
As Gaza remains trapped under blockade and critical infrastructure continues to deteriorate, electricity shortages are threatening every aspect of civilian life, from healthcare and water production to education, communications, and economic recovery, deepening the unprecedented humanitarian crisis.
