With the entry of wood into the war-ravaged Gaza Strip severely restricted by Israeli authorities, people in the Palestinian enclave are finding new uses for wooden pallets that arrive carrying aid supplies and commercial goods, turning discarded shipping materials into household furniture and even classrooms.
Inside a carpentry workshop in Gaza City, discarded wooden pallets are being given a second life. The pallets are dismantled, and the wood is cut into new pieces, serving as a substitute for materials that have become difficult to obtain. For carpenters, recycling has become a way to keep working while providing affordable basic furniture for families and the community.
"We turned to pallet wood from commercial goods and aid, because regular wood is not allowed in. It cannot replace natural wood, but this is what we have. We are also making school furniture for students as the new school year begins," said Mahmoud Abu Al-Kas, a carpenter.
The value of the wooden pallets extends beyond workshops. With families still facing shortage of basic supplies, almost every usable piece of wood has become valuable.
"We also use such wood for cooking, because cooking gas is rarely available and is only in very small quantities. We use it to make shelves, cupboards and beds, especially for elderly people. We young people can manage sleeping on mattresses on the floor, but elderly people cannot. Our situation is extremely difficult," said Mahmoud Abu Shaaban, a local resident.
At the Nibras Girls School in western Gaza City, recycling has gone much further. The school's classrooms have been built from repurposed pallet wood, creating learning spaces where conventional building materials are difficult to obtain.
"We transformed wooden pallets into classrooms and used them to make desks and benches, so that education can continue, and our students in Gaza can keep learning," said Neveen Al-Zmaili, the school's principal.
Three years of destruction, displacement and severe shortages have made even basic necessities difficult to obtain in Gaza. With Gaza's crossings restricted and essential materials scarce, Palestinians are repurposing what they have to adapt to their harsh living conditions.
Gazans turn aid pallets into furniture, classrooms as wood shortages bite
Gazans turn aid pallets into furniture, classrooms as wood shortages bite
Gazans turn aid pallets into furniture, classrooms as wood shortages bite
