As director of Beit Fajjar Municipality, located near Bethlehem in the central West Bank, he has struggled over the past 10 months, as they have been plunged into a humanitarian crisis after the Israeli military installed two locked gates at the entrances to Beit Fajjar and the neighboring village of Marah Rabah. The gates are never open. That means the 200 stone quarries, nine cement factories, and four asphalt factories in Beit Fajjar have all nearly shut down. “After 7 October, these businesses are operating at 20-25% capacity,” said Billo. “Before October, we had 1,200 people who used to work in those factories. Now we are looking at currently only 250-300 workers who are able to come to work.” The only way in and out of Beit Fajjar is now a very bumpy, dirt road. For quarry work trucks, a trip that used to take half an hour from Bethlehem, now takes a whole day. Public servants who work in jobs related to education and health are now working three days per week instead of six because of access issues. “Another thing to address is the issue of water,” said Billo. “Before 7 October, our water technicians from the municipality used to cross the gate and go fix the water pump, and do maintenance, but since 7 October we have not been able to access the water pump.” Withholding healthcare Ambulances are also having trouble accessing Beit Fajjar. “It used to take an ambulance an average of 10 or 15 minutes to travel from Beit Fajjar to Bethlehem,” said Billo. “Now it takes one hour. One of the community members suffered a stroke and, because it took so long to get him to the hospital, he died.” If someone with a chronic illness needs to be transported via ambulance to receive treatment in Bethlehem, they must be moved from one ambulance to another. “We have to carry them to the other side to an ambulance from the Red Cross, but we have to wait a long time,” said Billo. The people of Beit Fajjar are standing in solidarity. “People can only buy food—nothing else—and many charity organizations are helping.” Many young people, unable to get full access to education or a job, are on the streets. Billo said he is genuinely thankful for the opportunity to share the story of the plight of Beit Fajjar with the world. “I know that this is a moral responsibility to speak up and to alleviate this terrible situation.” In the past, ecumenical accompaniers from the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel have visited Beit Fajjar. “They ask questions,” he said. “They want to know the details. We feel they are sympathetic and genuinely interested in helping us. I cannot tell you enough how much we appreciate them.” Waiting for changeBillo and other municipal leaders from the Beit Fajjar Village Council have approached the Israeli military with three different official letters about reopening the gates. “They keep promising that they will open the gate—and nothing happens,” he said. Meanwhile, water and food shortages grow, health crises worsen, and humanitarian conditions grow intolerable. “We had the community member who was 43 years old, and he had health and psychological problems, and he walked toward the gate,” said Billo. “Israeli soldiers killed him and, to this day, the body is being held by the Israelis. We were not allowed to bury him. He simply approached the gate.” | 
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