In Gaza, salvaged iron from rubble becomes shelters and furniture

In Gaza City and Khan Younis, workers are turning the wreckage of war into the raw material for daily life. Using hammers and hand tools, they break through the collapsed roofs of destroyed buildings, pull out iron rods, and reshape them into the frames of tents, bathrooms, kitchen cabinets, and even doors.

Mohammad Shweikh, a resident of Gaza City, described the process as gruelling but necessary. "We use a hammer to break through the roofs and extract the iron," he said. "People use this iron to build tents, bathrooms, or mosques." He added that the work is physically demanding and offers no stability: "This is very difficult work, and there's no other way. We just want to earn a living. Making a living is hard these days; there are no permanent jobs."

In Khan Younis, worker Kareem Abu Dagga said the salvaged metal has become a lifeline. "We use the iron from the rubble and buy it after it's been processed," he explained. "We use it for tents, wardrobes, kitchen cabinets, windows, and doors. This is our only source of income right now."

Abu Dagga showed how the rods support a rudimentary toilet, a kitchen storage area, and a tent with a living space — all constructed from iron and nylon.

The practice has grown as Israel maintains restrictions on the entry of goods into Gaza, with aid and commercial supplies subject to inspections. The limits have caused severe shortages of basic supplies and reconstruction materials, leaving residents to improvise with whatever can be pulled from the extensive destruction around them.