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Gaza Carpenters Turn to Pallets for Furniture Amidst War and Scarcity
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia /Culture & Society

Gaza Carpenters Turn to Pallets for Furniture Amidst War and Scarcity

From Asharq Al-Awsat · (12m ago) English Critical tone

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Carpenters in Gaza are using scrap wood and shipping pallets to build basic furniture for families displaced by war due to shortages and high costs of regular materials.
  • The Israeli ban on wood imports, considered a dual-use item, exacerbates the scarcity, driving up prices for materials like nails and fittings.
  • Furniture made from pallets is significantly cheaper than conventional sets, but production is slowed by electricity and wood shortages, impacting delivery times.

In the Gaza Strip, where the ongoing conflict with Israel has severely restricted the import of essential goods, local artisans are demonstrating remarkable resilience and ingenuity. Carpenters are transforming discarded shipping pallets and scrap wood into much-needed furniture, providing a glimmer of hope and basic comfort to families displaced by the war.

pallets became one of the few available sources of wood when limited ‌aid trucks began entering ‌Gaza.

— Mohammed WafiA carpenter in Khan Younis, explaining the source of materials.

This initiative highlights the dire economic conditions and the lengths to which Gazans must go to meet their fundamental needs. The Israeli military's classification of wood as a dual-use item, thus banning its entry, directly contributes to the scarcity and exorbitant prices of construction materials. What once cost a few shekels for nails now runs into the hundreds, making traditional furniture an unattainable luxury.

Today people say, 'I just need something to get by, something to get my clothes off the floor'... especially those (living) in tents.

— Mohammed WafiDescribing the urgent needs of displaced families.

The demand for these handcrafted pallet beds and tables is a stark indicator of the humanitarian crisis. Families living in makeshift tents, battling infestations of rats and disease, seek any means to improve their living conditions. The furniture, while basic, offers a crucial elevation from the unsanitary ground, a small but significant step towards dignity.

Due to the rats and cockroaches, they need a tent or a bed to be lifted off the ground.

— Mohammed WafiExplaining the sanitary reasons for needing elevated furniture.

Despite the challenges posed by electricity shortages and the limited supply of wood, these carpenters persevere. Their work not only provides essential items but also sustains livelihoods in a devastated economy. This story, while focusing on furniture, is a microcosm of Gaza's broader struggle for survival and self-sufficiency against overwhelming odds.

We used to get a kilo of nails for 5 shekels ($1.70). Today, a kilo of nails costs around 100 or 130 shekels.

— Mohammed WafiIllustrating the dramatic increase in material costs.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Asharq Al-Awsat in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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