Gaza families rebuild with mud and wood as large-scale reconstruction remains out of reach

Across Gaza, residents are turning to improvised materials and small-scale repairs to make damaged homes and businesses usable again, even as a wider reconstruction effort has yet to begin. Aid agencies have cautioned that rebuilding the territory on a large scale could take years, citing the extent of the destruction and restrictions on materials entering Gaza.

In the Shati refugee camp, Alaa Jouda has built a wooden home on top of the rubble of his destroyed house. He said he used materials he already had and bought additional supplies at a cost of about 25,000 shekels ($7,000).

"The main reason of using wood was due to the lack of construction materials and supplies," Jouda said. "While we used wood as a substitute for cement, it certainly does not replace our original cement homes."

In central Gaza, Khalil Abu Ramadan has been building a home for his family using mud molds, reviving an older construction method as conventional building materials remain severely restricted. Displaced from northern Gaza to a refugee camp in Deir al-Balah, he had been living in tents.

"The idea of building a room out of mud came to me because we were living in tents that offered no protection against the winter cold or the summer heat," he said. "I researched on the internet how our ancestors used to build such structures and put that knowledge into practice."

The work took more than a month, far longer than it would have under normal conditions. Abu Ramadan said he had to bring mud from areas within the yellow line, the demarcation lines separating Palestinian and Israeli-occupied territories, and also faced severe water shortages, with supply arriving only once a week.

"Under normal circumstances, I could build this house in a week if the resources were available, but due to these difficulties, it took me over a month to complete," he said.

In Gaza City, Ismat Dader has been using fabric and other available materials to repair damaged or burned homes and businesses, making them more suitable for people to occupy or reopen. The scarcity of even basic supplies has sent prices soaring. A box of screws that once cost around 30 shekels ($9) can now cost 500 to 600 shekels ($150-$180), while fabric that sold for 15 to 20 shekels ($4.50-$6) a meter now costs more than 70 shekels ($21), depending on the type.

"We managed to find solutions for the owner of a destroyed facility - which was his sole source of livelihood - transforming a pile of rubble and debris into something that allows him to restart his business and provide for his home and family, starting from nothing," Dader said.

"Our homeland is gone, our homes are gone and the commercial facilities that secured our income and supported our families and education are lost," he added. "We had no choice but to try to improve the visual environment - creating something livable amidst the reality we face, and in the shadow of closed crossings and the resulting psychological and physical trauma that we, our children, and all families in the community here in Gaza are facing."

Under a proposed postwar plan, rebuilding Gaza is envisioned as part of a broader effort to restore the territory. But the scale of destruction, the question of who will govern Gaza and restrictions on the entry of construction materials remain major obstacles. The improvised repairs are nonetheless allowing some businesses to reopen despite the destruction around them.