Regional Voices: A single spark now holds the weight of a home.
Nisreen Abu Saada carefully coaxes a flame from a well-worn cigarette lighter, the small spark illuminating her face in the dim light of the Gaza tent camp. Around her, the scene is one of makeshift living – tents pitched close together, the air thick with the scent of burning cardboard and plastic. This isn’t a communal campfire; it’s a family trying to cook a meal. Nisreen, a mother of four displaced from her home in Khan Younis, explains with weary resignation, “The tent is useless without a lighter. There’s no gas, and we’re lighting fires 24 hours a day.” Before the war, a lighter was almost worthless. Now, one can cost a month’s worth of what little money families have.
A Currency of Survival
The shortage of everything – gas, fuel, even basic supplies – has transformed everyday objects into precious commodities. Lighters are shared, borrowed, and desperately repaired. Hassan Abu Latifa, a former agricultural engineer now running a tiny repair kiosk, speaks of the change with a quiet sorrow. “Repairing lighters isn’t a profession, but it’s become a necessity.” He scavenges for spare parts, meticulously fixing broken plastic casings, understanding the reliance of his community on his skill. For Iftikhar al-Kafarna, a baker trying to support her six children, a lighter isn’t just essential for cooking; it’s her livelihood. “If there is a lighter, there is work. If there is no lighter, everything stops.”
The Weight of Restrictions
This isn’t simply a story of scarcity; it’s a direct consequence of the ongoing conflict and the restrictions on movement and supplies into Gaza. The ceasefire, brokered in October, hasn’t brought real relief. Aid deliveries remain contentious, with accusations from both sides of being inadequate. Hamas blames Israeli border restrictions, while Israel maintains it is facilitating humanitarian aid while targeting militants. Regardless, the everyday reality for Gazans is one of shrinking resources and increasing desperation, where a simple tool like a lighter becomes a symbol of the larger failings of a broken system.
Fuel for the Future?
This story, small as it seems, highlights a fundamental truth: peace isn’t just about ceasefires and political agreements. It’s about enabling ordinary people to rebuild their lives with dignity, to ensure access to basic necessities. The need for a functioning economy, for consistent supplies, for the ability to earn a living – these are the foundations upon which lasting peace must be built.
Despite the hardships, the resilience of people like Nisreen, Hassan, and Iftikhar offers a flicker of hope. Their determination to provide for their families, to find a way forward even in the face of unimaginable challenges, demonstrates that the spirit of Gaza hasn’t been extinguished. If the international community can focus on supporting these everyday acts of survival, it may yet foster a future where a lighter is simply a tool, and not a lifeline.
Source:
Reuters, reporting from Gaza and Cairo, July 23, 2026.
