A powerful winter storm has swept across the Gaza Strip, forcing Palestinians to salvage iron rods from the ruins of their destroyed homes in an attempt to reinforce makeshift tents unable to withstand the harsh weather.
In Gaza City’s al-Jalaa neighbourhood, 55‑year‑old Ali al‑Hajjar used a hammer to prise metal reinforcement bars from the cracked concrete pillars of what was once his family home.
“I am no longer searching the rubble for personal belongings, but for materials to protect my family from the winter,” al‑Hajjar told Xinhua. Since the 10 October ceasefire that ended the latest round of fighting, he said his family of seven has received no tent or alternative housing. After a recent storm caused their previous shelter — a flimsy structure made of wood and nylon — to collapse, the family spent the night exposed to the elements, with soaked blankets and mattresses.
The practice of retrieving iron from ruined buildings has become widespread across Gaza, particularly in areas hit hardest by bombardment. Residents reshape the salvaged metal into arches to support tent roofs, helping rainwater run off instead of pooling and causing further collapses.
“We are dismantling what remains of our homes to build simple shelters,” al‑Hajjar said.
The trend underscores the severe shortage of construction materials. Israel continues to restrict the entry of building supplies, while the soaring cost of cement on the local market has made formal reconstruction impossible for most residents.
In the Shati refugee camp, 47‑year‑old Mohammed al‑Shanti and his family also collected iron from their destroyed home to build strengthened tents. He said traditional tents have become impractical as floors turn to mud and water leaks inside.
“The iron and concrete being reused would be discarded if reconstruction began,” al‑Shanti said. “Its use now is a temporary measure dictated by necessity.”
The humanitarian crisis is worsening as temperatures fall. The Hamas‑run government media office recently warned that more than 288,000 families lack adequate shelter and estimated that around 300,000 tents and mobile housing units are required to meet immediate needs.
For residents like Abbas Saud, who began extracting iron after seeing neighbours do the same, the dangers of handling heavy debris are outweighed by the need for some form of stability.
“Many families are now reusing iron due to the lack of housing alternatives and delays in the arrival of caravans,” he said, adding that while these improvised shelters do not meet safety standards, they offer some resistance against the winter conditions.
“These measures are not a preferred choice,” Saud said. “It is an adaptation to conditions imposed by the war.”
Source: Xinhua
