GAZA, (PIC)
In the heart of the destruction left by the Israeli war of genocide on the Gaza Strip, individual attempts are taking shape to resist economic collapse, as rubble is transformed into an alternative resource for life, amid an ongoing blockade and an almost complete paralysis in productive sectors.
Inside a small nylon tent in the Tel al-Hawa area, south of Gaza City, engineer Basel al-Batesh set up a rudimentary workshop to recycle aluminum and manufacture spare parts for vehicles and machines that have worn out due to the war, trying to fill a sharp gap left by the closure of crossings and the ban on the entry of basic materials.
Light smoke rises from a primitive stove, while al-Batesh bends over a metal container in which he melts aluminum scrap he collected from beneath the ruins of destroyed buildings. What seems worthless is transformed in this narrow space into spare parts that bring vehicles and generators back into operation, which many rely on to secure their livelihood.
Before the war, al-Batesh owned a factory for manufacturing spare parts, but it was completely destroyed, like thousands of production facilities in the Strip. After losing his source of income, he found himself facing a harsh reality that pushed him to invent alternatives from the heart of the rubble. A collapsing economy and attempts to survive
The war that began in October 2023 led to widespread destruction in the economic infrastructure of the Strip, as factories and facilities were devastated, causing thousands of workers to lose their jobs, amid unprecedented levels of poverty and unemployment.
According to a previous report by the World Bank, the Palestinian economy entered its worst contraction in decades, with an almost complete paralysis in Gaza, and a deficit of about 83% of the gross domestic product, while unemployment rose to about 80%, and most families became dependent on aid to secure their basic needs.
In this context, al-Batesh tells Anadolu, “We had no other choice, vehicles and generators need maintenance, but the crossings are closed and spare parts do not enter the enclave.” He adds, “We decided to try to manufacture what we can with our own hands, to fill part of this shortage.”
The manufacturing process goes through exhausting stages, starting with collecting aluminum from the rubble, then melting it in primitive furnaces, before pouring it into clay molds prepared in advance, leaving it to cool, then polishing it and preparing it for use. Small parts, big impact
Despite the simplicity of the capabilities, these parts gain great importance in the lives of residents, as a working vehicle means income for a family, and a functioning generator means additional hours of electricity in homes exhausted by darkness.
Al-Batesh says, “When we succeed in manufacturing a part, we feel that we saved a machine from becoming scrap, and helped a family to continue,” noting that demand for these parts is high, despite the difficulties, amid scarcity of raw materials, and his need sometimes to spend days searching for simple components.
In the absence of safety conditions, high temperatures, and rising smoke, al-Batesh and his colleagues continue to work daily, as the workshop has turned into a space of resilience more than just a source of income. He says, “In Gaza, we are used to making life out of the hardest conditions.”
Despite this, he pins his hopes on an improvement in conditions and the reopening of crossings, allowing the entry of raw materials and the resumption of work in a normal manner.
In parallel, the humanitarian situation in the enclave remains fragile, despite the ceasefire entering into force in October 2025, according to what the UN official Nikolay Mladenov confirmed before the Security Council.
He pointed out that basic services are operating at a limited capacity, while the health system is facing an almost complete collapse, and the economy is still unable to recover.
The war has resulted in more than 72,000 martyrs and about 172,000 injured, in addition to destruction affecting about 90% of the infrastructure, while Israeli violations of the ceasefire continue through restrictions on crossings and bombardment operations, further complicating the humanitarian and economic situation in the enclave.