Gaza Graffiti Artists Bedeck Houses Destroyed by Israel in War 

A Palestinian girl sits on the remains of a destroyed house, next to a graffiti of a missile drawn by Hussein Abu Sadeq, on houses destroyed by Israel in recent Israeli-Gaza fighting, in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza Strip June 8, 2023. (Reuters)
A Palestinian girl sits on the remains of a destroyed house, next to a graffiti of a missile drawn by Hussein Abu Sadeq, on houses destroyed by Israel in recent Israeli-Gaza fighting, in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza Strip June 8, 2023. (Reuters)
TT

Gaza Graffiti Artists Bedeck Houses Destroyed by Israel in War 

A Palestinian girl sits on the remains of a destroyed house, next to a graffiti of a missile drawn by Hussein Abu Sadeq, on houses destroyed by Israel in recent Israeli-Gaza fighting, in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza Strip June 8, 2023. (Reuters)
A Palestinian girl sits on the remains of a destroyed house, next to a graffiti of a missile drawn by Hussein Abu Sadeq, on houses destroyed by Israel in recent Israeli-Gaza fighting, in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza Strip June 8, 2023. (Reuters)

Graffiti artists in Gaza have painted murals on the remains of houses destroyed in an Israeli missile strike during cross-border fighting in May.

On one wall the artists depicted a woman holding her son. On another a boy is painted with tears in his eyes. A third shows a girl, seen through a mirror, combing her hair.

Piles of rubble still encircle the houses in the town of Deir al-Balah. Parts of exploded Israeli missiles were placed on tables for display.

"Out of suffering, pain, and siege, we derive hope, art, and victory," said artist Hussein Abu Sadeq. "We drew on the rubble so we can get the message through using a brush and colour."

Gaza, home to 2.3 million people and ruled by the Hamas movement, is blockaded by Israel.

In May, Israel launched a campaign against commanders of the Islamic Jihad group who it said had planned attacks in Israel. In response, the Iranian-backed group fired more than 1,000 rockets, sending Israelis fleeing into bomb shelters.

Israel killed six senior Islamic Jihad commanders and said it destroyed a number of military installations. Fifteen Palestinian civilians, including women and children, were also killed, according to Palestinian health officials.

In Israel, two people - an Israeli woman and a Palestinian laborer - were killed by Palestinian rocket fire in Israel.

"We collected those remains (of missiles) after the bombardment," said Mohammad Thuraya, an organizer of an exhibition of the art work on Sunday. "One missile destroyed a neighbourhood and destroyed the lives of ten families who used to live here."



Desperate for Cash, Gazans Sell Clothes Plucked from Rubble

Desperate for Cash, Gazans Sell Clothes Plucked from Rubble
TT

Desperate for Cash, Gazans Sell Clothes Plucked from Rubble

Desperate for Cash, Gazans Sell Clothes Plucked from Rubble

Moein Abu Odeh clambered up a pile of rubble in southern Gaza, searching for clothes, shoes, anything he could sell to raise cash more than a year since Israel started its relentless bombardments.

The father-of-four delved under blocks and brushed away piles of concrete dust at the site of one airstrike in the wrecked city of Khan Younis. His plan was to sell what he found to buy flour.

"If food and drink were available, believe me, I would give (these clothes) to charity," he said. "But the struggles we are going through (mean we) have to sell our clothes to eat and drink."

Widespread shortages and months of grinding war have generated a trade in old clothing, much of it salvaged from the homes of people who have died in the conflict.

At one makeshift market, shoes, shirts, sweaters and sneakers were laid out on dusty blankets, Reuters reported.

A girl tried on a single worn-out boot, which could come in handy this winter if she can afford it in Gaza's ruined economy.

A trader got an edge on his competitors by shouting out that his wares were European.

One man laughed as he got a young boy to try on a green jacket.

"We get clothing from a man whose house was destroyed. He was digging in the concrete to get some (clothing) and we buy them like this and sell them at a good price," displaced Palestinian Louay Abdel-Rahman said.

He and his family arrived in the city from another part of Gaza with only the clothes they were wearing. So he also keeps some back for them. "The seasons have changed from summer to winter and we need clothing," he said.

In April, the UN estimated it would take 14 years to dispose of the wreckage in Gaza. The UN official overseeing the problem said the clean-up would cost at least $1.2 billion.

More than 128,000 buildings have been destroyed or severely or moderately damaged in Gaza as a result of the conflict, the UN says. Underneath all of that are seams of mangled clothes.

"All our children only have short-sleeve clothing and nobody is helping them," Saeed Doula, a father-of-seven, said. "The war is all-encompassing."