Gaza hardship brings new season for second-hand clothes

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Second-hand clothes markets are widespread in all cities of the Gaza Strip.
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Second-hand clothes markets are widespread in all cities of the Gaza Strip.
Updated 12 October 2018
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Gaza hardship brings new season for second-hand clothes

  • Economic recession and the Israeli blockade mean many ‘al-bala’ markets are thriving
  • Clothes markets — known as “aswaq al-bala” — are widespread in all cities of the Gaza Strip

GAZA CITY: Mohammed Al-Hamaydeh is sorting through a large pile of clothes for something that suits him in Firas, a second-hand market in Gaza City.

Such clothes markets — known as “aswaq al-bala” — are widespread in all cities of the Gaza Strip, which is populated by a majority of the refugees, but are more popular in territory’s largest city. 

Al-Hamaydeh is one of many customers who have turned up at Firas market, which dates back to the period of Egyptian rule, in recent years. 

A severe economic recession, compounded by a 12-year Israeli blockade, has left many Gaza residents increasingly dependent on aid from local or international charities. 

The economic situation has contributed to a growing acceptance of wearing used clothes, journalist Hamed Jad told Arab News.

Take Al-Hamaydeh’s family. The 21-year-old university student’s father can only provide the basic requirements for him and his six siblings. Along with his fellow students, Al-Hamaydeh found refuge in Firas market, which is meeting their urgent need for clothing.

The Al-Hamaydeh family’s economic situation has worsened in the last year because of the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) cuts to employee salaries in Gaza. “After the PA cuts and the bank loan instalment, there is nothing left of my father’s salary to eat and drink,” Al-Hamaydeh told Arab News.

After the end of his day at university, Al-Hamaydeh goes to work daily at a brick factory to help provide for the family’s basic needs.

Mu’taz Sultan, another visitor to the second-hand clothes market, told Arab News that he was at first ashamed about visiting Firas market, choosing times when there was less traffic for fear of being seen by those who know him. But today he is less shy. After all, the economic crisis has hit the majority of the population, and “even traders were imprisoned for failing to pay their debts,” he said.

Sultan, who got a government job under the previous Hamas government, has received just 40 percent of his salary for some years, along with some 30,000 of his colleagues. He has found the second-hand market the right place to buy everything he needs, and takes his children on special occasions.

Second-hand clothing dealer Sameer Al-Asfar said his customers are from various social sectors, and every day new ones join the ranks of those who suffer from poverty and unemployment. 

As for the source of the second-hand clothing, Al-Asfar told Arab News: “The largest proportion comes from Israel, as (many Jews) change their old clothes in the Passover.”

Hussein Al-Sindawi, who has worked in the profession for more than 40 years after he inherited the business from his father, has shops in all cities of the Gaza Strip. He described his trade as interesting, especially during the years of siege and political division between Fatah and Hamas.

He said that the most expensive pieces displayed in his stores do not exceed 30 Israeli shekels (approximately $8).




Many Gaza residents are increasingly dependent on aid from local or international charities. 

Al-Sindawi said the clothes are delivered through the Kerem Shalom commercial crossing, packed in huge cardboard containers. Each container contains a certain grade of clothing according to its quality, and on this basis, the price per ton ranges from 3,000 to 6,000 shekels. The wholesaler sells them to retailers, and they end up in the hands of the customer after a long journey.

In the Gaza Strip, there are few shops offering new clothes and shoes from international brands, and the prices are too expensive for most residents to afford.

Hassan Zughra and his wife and children go to al-bala markets whenever they need new clothes, whether it is summer or winter. “I find my needs and the need of my five children in clothes and shoes, and I can buy all their needs at a much lower price than the brand-new clothing market,” he said.

“I and my children wear one of the most prestigious international brands of European goods that outweigh the quality of new goods in local markets,” he added.

While customers do not know the source of their garments, their desire to buy them is not affected. Om Wael Al-Burdini said she does not see the importance of knowing the source of the clothes, whether they come from Israel or Europe. What is important to her is that they are in good condition and at reasonable prices, and she is careful to wash them well.

Sherif Abu Mohsen agreed with Al-Burdini: “It does not matter where the clothes come from; I wash them well before I use them.”

 

 


Two Egyptian pilots killed in helicopter crash in Suez: army

Updated 2 sec ago
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Two Egyptian pilots killed in helicopter crash in Suez: army

The Egyptian air force operates aircraft from various countries

CAIRO: Two Egyptian air force officers were killed on Tuesday when a helicopter crashed during a training exercise, the military said.
The helicopter went down near a key air base in the town of Shalufa, in Suez province, “due to a technical malfunction,” military spokesman Gharib Abdel Hafez said in a post on his official Facebook page.
He did not specify the manufacturer or model of the aircraft.
The Egyptian air force operates aircraft from various countries, including France, Russia and the United States.
In November 2022, the military said a fighter jet had crashed during a military exercise but it reported no casualties.
In December 2019, an aircraft crashed during a training exercise. The pilot ejected safely.

US soldier injured during Gaza pier operation has died: military

Updated 15 min 56 sec ago
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US soldier injured during Gaza pier operation has died: military

  • “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Sgt. Quandarius Davon Stanley,” Captain Shkeila Milford-Glover said
  • In addition to the injuries, the project faced other problems starting in May, when the pier was damaged by bad weather and had to be removed for repairs

WASHINGTON: An American soldier has died after being injured during Washington’s problem-plagued operation to establish a temporary aid pier on the coast of Gaza, the US military said Tuesday.
The pier effort aimed to boost deliveries of desperately needed humanitarian assistance into the war-wracked Palestinian territory as Israel held up shipments by land.
But the effort ran into repeated weather issues and the United States ended it in mid-July, some two months after its installation.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Sgt. Quandarius Davon Stanley, a recently retired motor transport operator,” Captain Shkeila Milford-Glover, spokesperson for the 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, said in a statement.
She did not say when Stanley died or what kind of injury he had sustained, specifying only that the soldier had been receiving treatment in a long-term care facility.
He was one of three US military personnel who suffered non-combat injuries at sea during the pier operation.
The two others suffered minor injuries, a sprained ankle and a hurt back, the military said in May.
In addition to the injuries, the project faced other problems starting in May, when the pier was damaged by bad weather and had to be removed for repairs.
It was then reattached on June 7, but was moved to Ashdod on June 14 to protect it from anticipated high seas — a situation that was repeated later in the month.
US President Joe Biden announced the pier project during his State of the Union address in March as Israel held up deliveries of assistance by land, and the Pentagon has said it helped push the Israeli government to open more aid routes.


Japanese prime minister praises Saudi Arabia’s role in addressing the Gaza crisis

Updated 31 min 34 sec ago
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Japanese prime minister praises Saudi Arabia’s role in addressing the Gaza crisis

  • PM Ishiba made the remarks during a telephone summit with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
  • Ishiba stated that he would like to strengthen the strategic partnership between Japan and Saudi Arabia

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba hailed “Saudi Arabia’s leadership on Gaza” and expressed his determination to continue working with the Kingdom to bring stability to the Middle East.

Ishiba made the remarks during a telephone summit with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday, during which he expressed his hope that Saudi Arabia would continue to play a leading role in stabilizing the global oil market.

The Foreign Ministry in Tokyo said the crown prince expressed his wish to deepen cooperation with Japan in various fields, including politics, economics, security, and potentially technology transfer and cultural exchange.

Ishiba said he would like Japan and Saudi Arabia to expand cooperation to areas including clean energy, advanced technology, and entertainment.

With 2025 marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Ishiba reiterated his commitment to peace and stability in the region. He stated that he would like to strengthen the strategic partnership between Japan and Saudi Arabia and work even more closely together to promote these values. The crown prince also affirmed his commitment to these goals, stating that Saudi Arabia attaches great importance to its relations with Japan and welcomes further cooperation.

The Foreign Ministry added that both leaders shared their concerns about conflicts in the Middle East and the need for all parties involved to exercise maximum restraint. Ishiba said he appreciated Saudi Arabia’s leadership on Gaza, and the two leaders agreed to continue working closely together to achieve stability in the Middle East.


Syrian state media: Israel attacked town near Lebanon border

Updated 32 min 41 sec ago
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Syrian state media: Israel attacked town near Lebanon border

DAMASCUS: An Israeli strike hit a Syrian town near the border with Lebanon on Tuesday, Syrian state media said, less than a week after deadly strikes on the same area.
“An Israeli aggression targeted the industrial zone in Al-Qusayr” in Homs province, the official SANA news agency said. There was no immediate news of casualties or damage.

Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria mainly targeting army positions and Iran-backed fighters including from Hezbollah.
The Israeli military has intensified its strikes on Syria since it launched its war on Hezbollah in neighbouring Lebanon.
Israeli authorities rarely comment on the strikes, but have repeatedly said they will not allow arch-enemy Iran to expand its presence in Syria.


Health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says war death toll at 43,391

Updated 05 November 2024
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Health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says war death toll at 43,391

  • The toll includes 17 deaths in the previous 24 hours

GAZA STRIP: The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Tuesday that at least 43,391 people have been killed in the year-old war between Israel and Palestinian militants.
The toll includes 17 deaths in the previous 24 hours, according to the ministry, which said 102,347 people have been wounded in the Gaza Strip since the war began when Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.