Struggling with persistent power outages in the conflict-shattered Gaza Strip, Palestinian Ayesh Nassar, a 43-year-old resident of Jabalia refugee camp in the north, had little choice but to use a damaged 50-amp battery to light his family’s tent at night.
He spent 900 shekels ($322) on the old battery after being shocked by the “exorbitant prices” of new ones.
“A 100-amp battery now costs over 5,000 Israeli shekels ($1,790) – an amount three times my monthly salary,” said the government employee.
Since Israel launched its offensive on Gaza following an attack on Israeli citizens by Hamas militants in October 2023, industrial batteries have become the main power source for the territory’s 2.3 million residents, due to an ongoing electricity blackout.
But, as Gazans resort to old or reconditioned batteries for basic power, they face a high risk of accidents and negative health impacts from battery chemicals, especially those who work on battery maintenance, medical professionals in the territory told Climate Home News.
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Israel’s efforts to disband the Hamas militant group have led to over 61,700 deaths in Gaza, displaced most of the population repeatedly, reduced buildings and infrastructure to rubble, and cut off electricity and water supplies inside the narrow coastal area. A ceasefire during which Hamas has been returning Israeli hostages is fragile and the future highly uncertain.
Throughout the conflict, the Israeli army has restricted flows of basic supplies from entering – including energy equipment and batteries to light tents and what remains of homes. At the weekend, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided to halt the entry of all goods and supplies to the Gaza Strip, citing Hamas’s “refusal” to continue with a new phase of hostage releases and talks based on a US proposal.
Leaking acid
The Gaza Strip’s only power plant operates irregularly, due to intermittent fuel deliveries and a lack of equipment to fix technical problems. To compensate for the lack of grid electricity, many families use batteries charged with solar panels or fuel-run generators.
But access to this inadequate source of power comes with a heavy financial and physical cost to the war-weary population.
“Before the war, we had a house equipped with a solar energy system, and we never felt the power outages,” Nassar recalled. “But today, searching for a small battery has become very difficult.”
He repaired his battery to boost its efficiency to 70% but after a week, foul-smelling acid started leaking from it. Despite the health risks, he said, he was still using it for lighting.
Yusuf Al-Shawa from the Al-Nasr neighborhood in Gaza City also decided to purchase a reconditioned battery, unable to afford a new one due to their skyrocketing prices, as vendors took advantage of people’s desperate need.
Al-Shawa, 37, who supports a family of five, explained that his children cannot sleep without a light at night. “It was essential to find an alternative energy source to survive this difficult life,” he said.
He bought a fixed-up 40-amp battery for 1,000 shekels ($358), which he said “is a large sum, but there are no other options in these tough circumstances”. He noted that prices have jumped since the war started, as locals rely on old batteries hooked up to ad hoc solar panels or generators to run LED lamps and solar-powered USB lights.
“I am usually hesitant to buy old batteries because they come with the risk of exploding due to the lack of proper equipment to fix them,” Al-Shawa said.
Lead poisoning
Sami Al-Sharif, 41, who owns a workshop that repairs old batteries in the Shujaiya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City, explained that new batteries have become scarce since the Israeli blockade, opening up the market for used ones.
In more peaceful times, different kinds of batteries are imported from India, China and Turkey via the Israeli Kerem Shalom crossing, east of Rafah in southern Gaza – but in general they only have a lifespan of around two years and their quality deteriorates over time.
These days old acid batteries are being repaired for reuse, Al-Sharif said, with the price of a kilogramme of acid quadrupling to 800 shekels ($286) since the conflict began.
“Battery repairs are not without health risks,” he said. Two years ago, he fell sick from blood poisoning, with lead four times higher than safe levels detected in his blood – and he still suffers from severe headaches and spasms.
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For the past 11 years, Louay Al-Saouy from Gaza City has been repairing batteries in a small workshop. The 32-year-old started noticing health issues three years ago, experiencing sudden spasms and problems with his nervous system. He was also diagnosed with lead poisoning.
“The work in this profession lacks safety standards and oversight. People don’t wear masks or gloves while working, which leads to further health issues,” he added.
Despite this, Al-Saouy cannot quit or look for another job, as work is scarce in Gaza and the risky vocation is his only source of income.
Unsafe disposal and recycling
Mohammed Masleh, director of the Environmental Resources Department in the Gaza government under Hamas, said Gaza contains more than 30,000 tonnes of batteries that need recycling, adding that these are currently stored in several open sites in unsuitable conditions.
“Batteries are made of heavy metals and toxic materials, such as lead and mercury, which are highly poisonous and pose a great danger to the health of the population,” he warned.
Statistics on accidents linked to batteries and the health impacts are not being systematically collected. But Dr. Said Al-Masri, a hematology specialist at Al-Ahli Hospital, said the highly toxic substances contained in batteries can cause serious diseases via inhalation or skin contact.
“They enter the human body, distribute through the nervous system, and concentrate in the brain, with the most dangerous effect being on the blood, causing leukemia and lung cancer,” he explained.
Dr. Mohamed El-Nadi, a neurosurgery consultant at Al-Awda Hospital, said the way batteries are being handled during the conflict can expose people to the lead, cadmium, mercury and lithium they contain, causing neurological problems, kidney failure and immune system disorders – even resulting in death.
When batteries are damaged or reused incorrectly, toxic fumes such as sulphur and nickel oxides may be emitted, which can lead to lung and skin irritation, asthma and chronic respiratory diseases, as well as poisoning, he added.
“Children are more vulnerable to these risks, as chronic exposure to lead can cause developmental delays and behavioral disorders,” he warned.
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Despite the rising health risks facing Gazans who are increasingly forced to rely on old and recycled batteries for power, Dr. Al-Masri said there are no official statistics on the numbers affected by such diseases, as the work of collecting damaged batteries is done informally.
Unsafe methods are used which violate environmental standards outlined in the Basel Convention of 2002 on the disposal of hazardous waste, he emphasised.
Battery collection and processing should be carried out safely by specialists in areas far from population centres, he told Climate Home.
