Displaced Palestinian families in Gaza are turning to recycling to cope with severe shortages of clothing, fabrics, and batteries, as Israeli restrictions continue to limit the entry of essential supplies, CGTN reported.
Inside a roadside tent in Gaza City, old clothes are given a second life. With fabrics in short supply, displaced families are turning worn-out garments into clothes for their children, some carrying painful memories of war.
"Mothers bring in their husbands' clothes, sometimes damaged by shrapnel, or belonging to husbands who have been killed or injured and can no longer wear them. They ask us to turn these clothes into something their sons can wear. Mothers also bring their own clothes to be remade for their daughters," said Samira Al-Tabbaa, a displaced Palestinian seamstress.
Israeli restrictions on Gaza's crossings have limited fabric supplies, making recycling increasingly important.
"People here are increasingly turning to recycling clothes because new ones are unavailable in the markets, or extremely expensive when they can be found. This is especially true for children's and newborn babies' clothes. Many mothers cannot even find or afford clothes for their newborns," said Samira Al-Tabbaa.
For more than a million displaced Palestinians in Gaza, losing their homes has also meant losing their belongings, leaving many dependent on secondhand clothing and limited assistance.
"We fled the Shujaiya neighborhood without taking any of our belongings or clothes. My daughters are growing up, and none of them have clothes. My younger children don't have spare clothes, either. I remake clothes for them using whatever I can get from neighbors, or even my own clothes," said Rajaa Shafiq, a displaced Palestinian.
With electricity supplies severely disrupted, batteries have become essential. Local workshops are restoring worn-out batteries to power basic devices.
"People bring us weak batteries, sometimes even completely dead ones. We recycle and refurbish them for use with solar power systems, cars and internet connections. No new batteries have been allowed into Gaza for three years, so we've been struggling to restore the same batteries over and over again," said Mohammed Abu Al-Qumbuz, a battery repair workshop owner.
Amid UN warnings of a worsening humanitarian crisis, restrictions on aid, medicine and fuel, along with rising prices, have made necessities increasingly difficult to obtain in Gaza.
From discarded clothes to worn-out batteries, almost everything in Gaza is given a second life. Recycling is no longer a choice, but a necessity for survival.
Recycling becomes necessity for survival in Gaza as Israeli restrictions continue
American businesses are eager for cheaper imports ahead of the Christmas shopping season, even after pre-stocking led to record cargo volumes at California's busiest ports from July to August amid steeper tariffs on Chinese goods.
Following the recent meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump, proposed tariff reductions on toys and other consumer goods are offering hope of lower costs for American businesses and shoppers.
However, many U.S. suppliers and shops began stocking up for the holidays well before the reduction was announced. As a result, the Port of Los Angeles, America's busiest container port, saw an unprecedented summer.
More than 2.9 million units were handled at the port in just three months, with cargo ships arriving and cranes unloading around the clock. The historic highs may have been driven in part by uncertainty about future tariffs.
"When tariffs are announced, we see a big rush of cargo, so the products can get here before they're taxed with higher levels, and then afterwards we see a real downturn in the cargo flow because inventory has been built up," said Eugene Seroka, executive director at the Port of Los Angeles.
Last year, 82 billion U.S. dollars' worth of goods passed through the Port of Los Angeles in trade with China alone. Together with Long Beach, it forms America's largest container port complex.
"When you look at our cargo volumes, we are ahead of where we were last year, and last year was a record for us. This year, due largely to the front-loading activity employed by our shippers, we saw Christmas shipments arriving as early as May and June," said Dr. Noel Hacegaba, chief executive officer at Port of Long Beach.
Cargo that arrives at the ports ends up in warehouses across the U.S. With possible tariff relief on Chinese-made toys coming just before the holidays, businesses are watching to see whether lower costs could reach consumers.
Toy wholesaler Claire Martinsen imports all her merchandise from China. Trump's tariffs initially left her fearing for her business.
"We were nervous. We were really scared at that time because the company was growing and we were actively hiring at the same time," said Martinsen.
Her company absorbed much of the added costs, but lower tariffs could bring relief.
"When President Xi and President Trump met, I was ecstatic. I knew something had to happen. Right now, we're averaging at about three to four containers a week. During the holiday seasons, we're expecting about seven to 10 containers a week," she said.
At a Los Angeles toy store, shopper Maria Rodriguez hopes prices will fall.
"It's good for our wallets because we'll be able to stretch our money and buy gifts for everyone," she said.
For families facing rising costs, easing trade tensions could make Christmas a little more affordable.
US businesses eye more holiday season imports after record cargo at California ports
