GAZA, (PIC)
Residents of the Gaza Strip continue to face worsening hardship as a deepening cooking gas crisis and restrictions on humanitarian aid force thousands of displaced families to burn plastic, fabric, and other waste materials to prepare food inside overcrowded camps.
According to a report published by Al-Jazeera, Israeli authorities continue to tightly restrict the entry of fuel and cooking gas despite growing humanitarian needs, in ongoing violations of the humanitarian protocol linked to the ceasefire agreement announced in October 2025.
The report said many families initially turned to firewood as an alternative fuel source, but soaring prices have made it increasingly unaffordable. The price of one kilogram of wood has exceeded $3, placing it beyond the reach of most households that lost their income during the war.
Searching for wood has also become dangerous, with some residents forced to venture into eastern border areas near Israeli military positions while drones hover overhead and fears of live fire persist.
Footage documented displaced families burning nylon, plastic, cloth, and other discarded materials to cook meals despite the thick toxic smoke and health risks caused by the fumes, particularly for elderly people and those with chronic illnesses.
One displaced resident, identified as Abu Bilal, said his family has not received cooking gas for nearly two months.
“We go around searching for pieces of wood or nylon just to get by,” he said, explaining that preparing a single meal can require three to four kilograms of firewood at a daily cost of 30 to 40 shekels.
Abu Bilal, who suffers from serious eye problems and holds a medical referral for treatment outside Gaza, said he is nevertheless forced to sit for hours near smoke and open flames despite the risks to his health.
A displaced Palestinian woman also described spending long hours cooking over open fires for her large family, saying that even when gas cylinders are available, they are insufficient for daily needs.
She explained that families have begun distinguishing between different burnable materials based on the amount of smoke they produce and their impact on breathing. Her children now spend hours every day collecting plastic, carpets, and fabric scraps to use as alternative fuel.
The report warned of serious health consequences from inhaling toxic smoke produced by burning plastic and cloth inside tents, especially as Gaza’s healthcare system remains devastated and suffers from severe shortages of medicine and treatment supplies.
Health experts fear the situation could trigger a rise in chronic respiratory diseases among displaced residents.
The continuing shortage of fuel and cooking gas, combined with widespread unemployment and collapsing living conditions, has further deepened the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, leaving families unable to secure even the most basic daily necessities despite more than six months having passed since the ceasefire was announced.
