Subscribe to Print Edition | Wed., November 26, 2008 Cheshvan 28, 5769 | | Israel Time: 18:28 (EST+7)   Back to Homepage web haaretz.com Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate GA 2008 Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 00:00 17/11/2008 Dark days in Gaza: Residents worried about winter By Amira Hass, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Hamas, blackout, Gaza  The sound of generators on the sidewalks of Gaza on the weekend made it hard for pedestrians to hear one another. Even though only a few of the well-kept stores on Omar el-Mukhtar Street, one bank and two carpentries, used generators, the noise was still great. The power outage meant most stores were dark, but it did not matter much anyway: There were no shoppers on the street. Traffic was also sparse, much less than what one might expect on a Saturday that is followed by a national holiday: 20 years since Yasser Arafat's declaration of Palestinian independence. Many of Gaza's neighborhoods experienced power cuts at different times of day. In the neighborhood surrounding the square named after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, where the Fatah politician's empty house still stands, the electricity was interrupted six times over the course of 24 hours. Power went out for two, four and then six hours. After a while people stopped counting. Advertisement In fact, this neighborhood is one of the luckier ones - it is connected to both the Israeli and Palestinian electricity grids. The power outages in those neighborhoods that are not connected to the Israeli grid last between eight to 12 hours. Some areas have no running water: The Sheikh Radwan refugee camp has had no running water for two days. Outages have also been reported in Rafah, on the border with Egypt, even though the city is connected to the Egyptian grid across the border: The Gazan electricity company is trying to distribute the power it has purchased from Egypt and Israel evenly among the Palestinians. Offices, medical practices, private residences: All are darkened by power outages that may occur at any time of day. Every phone call starts with the question of whether the person on the other end of the line has electricity. Whether they managed to bathe the kids before the hot water ran out. Whether the washing machine was working when the outage began. Refrigerators are particularly prone to malfunction and breakdown because of the constant outages. Also, the cellular phone system weakens and sometimes crashes. Not everyone can afford buying a generator for their home or office and paying for the gas it runs on. They have to save money. The shortage in cooking gas and diesel is starting to worry many. One mother in Gaza City had to send her child to Rafah, where the shortage is not yet felt, to buy cooking gas. Meanwhile, it is till relatively warm for November and people are putting off thinking about what will happen if Israel continues to block the transfer of cooking gas or diesel used for heating into the Gaza Strip when the winter arrives. Bookmark to del.icio.us   The 'beauty machine' Want to optimize your looks without radically altering them? now you can. Lebanon needs unity Khamenei to Lebanese President: Iran will always stand beside Lebanon.   1.   Remind me 10:04  |  Ofer 17/11/08   2.   cold? 10:28  |  london 17/11/08   3.   Wow, that`s sad - so when do Hamas start caring for Gazans? 10:56  |  Allon 17/11/08   4.   Qassams are firecrackers!! 10:58  |  Mahmoud 17/11/08   5.   I am sad 11:01  |  Gian 17/11/08   6.   Gian 12:47  |  Allon 17/11/08   7.   stop shooting at us - your troubles will be over 12:49  |  michelle 17/11/08   8.   Amira I am not celebrating Thanksgiving this year 13:03  |  Dutch 17/11/08   9.   Shoot the messenger 14:23  |  Murray 17/11/08   10.   #4 Mahmoud,it`s up to you 14:29  |  Hastaroth 17/11/08   11.   Gian #5 14:30  |  MR 17/11/08   12.   Ask your arab brothers for help 16:15  |  Maria 17/11/08   13.   Tense days in Sderot and Ashkelon. That`s what WE worry about. 16:19  |  S 17/11/08   14.   How dark? 04:01  |  Ephraim 18/11/08   15.   #5: "many people in Gaza love peace and hate Hamas" good one :) 04:03  |  Ephraim 18/11/08   16.   Gazans reap they sow....... 07:38  |  Dolly [second time]. 18/11/08   17.   How Gazans can help themselves get cooking gas 13:40  |  ARA 18/11/08   18.   To No. 8, Dutch: You can help the Gazans! 13:44  |  ARA 18/11/08   19.   No. 9, have you heard what it`s like in Sderot? 13:53  |  ARA 18/11/08   20.   Softening them up before you commit 13:59  |  michael mazur 18/11/08   21.   Two Wrongs Don`t Equal Collective Punishment 16:00  |  Frances 18/11/08   22.   Gian 22:49  |  Peter Williams 18/11/08   23.   Against International Law 17:59  |  Michael 26/11/08

Read & React Documents reveal IDF killed wanted Palestinians against court guidelines Responses: 127 Israel asks Bush to explain its 'special relationship' with U.S. to Obama Responses: 69 Settler teens rampage through Palestinian neighborhood in Hebron Responses: 96 Aluf Benn: Obama's challenge will be to persuade Netanyahu to advance peace Responses: 33 Judea Pearl: Israel and Palestinians should apologize to each other Responses: 15 More Headlines 16:24 Barak: Hebron house will be vacated by force, if needed 17:56 Lebanon asks Iran to supply its army with midsize weapons 14:52 Amid nuclear tensions, Iran says it successfully launches rocket 17:05 Livni urges Thailand: Commute Israeli drug smugglers' death sentence 14:59 Hamas, Fatah women fistfight in Gaza as factional tempers flare 16:23 Borat's brother - a.k.a. Erran Baron Cohen - releases Hanukkah CD 17:27 Holocaust survivor to meet her Polish savior after 60 years 18:19 Short on fuel, Gazans use car batteries to restart power plant 13:31 Ban: Israel, Lebanon must 'seize the moment' and make peace 18:22 Settler rabbi: Peace Now chief should be jailed for treason 15:08 Palestinians: Libya sends ship to Gaza in bid to break blockade 11:46 Fascists in Italy offer couples 1,500 euros for each baby named 'Benito' 12:44 IDF killed wanted Palestinians despite court guidelines, documents show 12:20 Rights group: Only 6% of abuse claims against IDF yield charges 09:28 Israel asks Bush to explain its 'special relationship' with U.S. to Obama 08:44 Israel nabs silver in world chess olympiad, its first ever medal Previous Editions Select Day 25 nov 24 nov 23 nov 21 nov 20 nov 19 nov 18 nov 17 nov 16 nov 14 nov 13 nov 12 nov

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