Desperate Palestinians in Gaza are digging through garbage for plastic to burn for warmth, a stark contrast to the optimistic vision of the territory presented by world leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos. In the Muwasi area of Khan Younis, residents scavenge for items to fuel fires as temperatures drop below 10°C at night, with hundreds of thousands still living in displacement camps.
At Davos, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed 'record levels' of humanitarian aid had entered Gaza since the ceasefire began in October, while his son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff touted the territory's development potential. However, on the ground, fuel and firewood remain scarce and expensive, forcing families to burn plastic despite the health risks.
Two 13-year-old boys were shot and killed by Israeli forces on Wednesday while collecting firewood, hospital officials reported. Meanwhile, three Palestinian journalists were killed in an Israeli strike on their vehicle near a displacement camp. The Israeli military said it targeted suspects operating a drone that posed a threat to its troops.
Sanaa Salah, living in a tent with her husband and six children, said her family cannot afford firewood or gas and is aware of the dangers of burning plastic. 'Life is very hard,' she said. 'We cannot even have a cup of tea.' Aziz Akel noted that firewood costs 7 or 8 shekels (about $2.5), which his family cannot afford, so his daughter Lina searches for plastic in the garbage daily.
Since the war began in 2023, over 200 Palestinian journalists have been killed, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Israel has barred international journalists from entering Gaza, relying on local reporters to cover the conflict. More than 470 people have been killed since the ceasefire began in October, with at least 77 killed by Israeli fire near the ceasefire line, according to Gaza's health ministry.
