In Gaza, 63-year-old repairs kerosene stoves as cooking gas shortages bite

Hajj Adil Issa, 63, repairs old kerosene stoves in his workshop in the Al-Shati Camp as Palestinians struggle to maintain daily life with limited resources, in Gaza City, Palestine, on April 06, 2026. As ongoing attacks and restricted aid deliveries continue, residents face severe shortages of cooking gas, turning to wood, cardboard, and fuel produced from processed plastic waste for cooking.

Energy crisis

The cooking gas shortage is the latest consequence of the ongoing conflict that has devastated Gaza's infrastructure. With Israel maintaining tight control over fuel and gas supplies, residents have resorted to increasingly desperate measures to prepare food for their families.

Artisanal solutions

Issa's workshop repairing kerosene stoves—a technology largely abandoned elsewhere—has become a vital service for families who cannot access modern cooking fuels. The kerosene stove repair trade, once nearly extinct, has seen a resurgence as Gazans adapt to survive under blockade conditions.

Humanitarian context

The energy crisis comes amid a broader humanitarian catastrophe. The UN estimates 90% of Gaza's civilian infrastructure has been destroyed, with reconstruction costs at $70 billion. Despite a ceasefire since October 2025, Israel continues daily violations that have killed 733 Palestinians since the truce took effect.

Resilience

Issa's story reflects the broader Palestinian resilience in the face of ongoing conflict and blockade. As international attention focuses on the Iran war, Gazans continue their daily struggle for survival with minimal resources and international support.