Iron from destroyed buildings.. a risky livelihood in Gaza
A report from Gaza documents how war rubble has become a source of income for residents of the Strip, as workers extract iron rods from destroyed buildings, straighten them, and sell them to locals for use in building tents and temporary structures, amid unemployment exceeding 80% and a shortage of basic materials.
A report from Gaza documents how war rubble has become a source of income for residents of the Strip. At a vital intersection overlooking Salah al-Din Street, forty-something "Abu Sa'id" stands with his son and friend to straighten twisted iron rods and reshape them, preparing to sell them to customers. Abu Sa'id uses a machine dedicated to straightening and bending iron, which he used in his original construction profession before being forced to stop due to the war. He buys a linear meter of twisted rods from citizens for one shekel, before straightening and adjusting them and selling them for up to 2.5 shekels per meter. Abu Sa'id describes the work as very tiring, and they spend long hours under the scorching sun. Mahmoud al-Dabbagh tells his story of collecting and selling iron, explaining that he started extracting rods from his destroyed home before it turned into a daily job. He points out that the work is not without risks; he was injured after part of a collapsed building's ceiling fell on his foot. Estimates from the UN Environment Programme indicate there are between 61 and 66 million tons of rubble in the Gaza Strip. Data from the Central Bureau of Statistics shows that the unemployment rate exceeded 80% during 2025. The Israeli occupation prevents the entry of rubble removal equipment into the Strip. Economic specialist Khaled Abu Amer says the expansion of the phenomenon reflects transformations imposed by the war on the labor market, where broad segments are now searching for any source of income.