Gazas Job Market Reconfigured by Years of Conflict and Occupation

Gaza Residents Find Alternative Careers Amidst Economic Strife

In Gaza City’s Remal market, Abdulrahman al-Awadi has set up a mobile phone charging station as his primary source of income. The 25-year-old, who previously studied fine arts at Al-Aqsa University, now spends his days charging phones for customers in exchange for a daily fee.

Al-Awadi’s career shift is not unique to him. Many Gaza residents have been forced to adapt their professions due to the economic downturn caused by the ongoing conflict. With widespread destruction and displacement, traditional jobs have disappeared, leaving individuals to find alternative ways to earn a living.

Before the war, al-Awadi worked in fine arts and graphic design, but he was unable to continue his studies after being displaced for over a year and a half. Upon returning home, he found that his drawings and tools had been destroyed, forcing him to start from scratch.

Al-Awadi’s experience is part of a broader trend in Gaza, where individuals are turning to makeshift jobs to survive. These jobs often require minimal skills or equipment, but can provide a daily income and meet basic needs.

According to Rami al-Zaygh, an economic researcher, the survival economy in Gaza has given rise to new professions that were previously unknown. “Most of this work is carried out using very basic tools,” he said. “It’s a degree of innovation, including finding ways to charge devices and batteries or registering people on lists for aid.”

These jobs are not stable or permanent, but rather intermittent and constantly changing due to the war’s conditions. Al-Zaygh noted that they have helped individuals avoid certain death by providing a minimum level of income.

The economic situation in Gaza has worsened since the war began, with widespread destruction, displacement, and the collapse of basic services forcing many skilled graduates to adapt to makeshift jobs.

Source: Al Jazeera