Palestinian businesses in Gaza struggle to recover

Palestinian business-owners in the Jabalia refugee camp struggle to revive their daily activities despite harsh conditions. In the face of these challenges, all the business owners share a common hope: peace and stability.

Despite destruction in northern Gaza, Palestinian business owners in the Jabalia refugee camp are working tirelessly to rebuild and restore their daily activities. From restaurants to bakeries, entrepreneurs face immense challenges yet remain determined to continue their work.

Restaurant owner Raed Abu Sido shares, “The place where we are, as you see, I used to have a floor here and a floor upstairs. We had 200 tables. From 200 tables, only one table remains, and here it is broken. We only have this one. I had 12 workers, today I am alone at this place because the work became bad, people have no money, they spent all their money.”

As businesses continue to struggle, local workers are also doing their best to adapt. Bakery supervisor Abdul Karim Faraj explains, “Today, the work takes time, costs, wood. We did not use wood and we did not know how to use it. The war taught us how to use it. Everything was operated by gas and everything was organized.”

The water desalination plant, once a lifeline for the camp, has suffered heavy damage. Palestinian worker Yousef Zomlout says, “Before the war, water produced from the plant reached 25 cubic meters per hour. Today, it produces only 15 cubic meters, due to the destruction and lack of electricity. Also, we cannot source the materials for the plant.”

Amidst these challenges, the community remains hopeful for the future. Tailor shop owner Raed Saad shares, “We don’t want a truce, what are we going to do with a truce. We want the war to end, and peace and security to prevail, for us and our neighbors, no matter how it costs, this is what I want. We shall put our hands together and rebuild this country.”

Through it all, the people of Jabalia remain determined to persevere. Their resilience reflects a collective hope that one day the community will heal and recover.

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