Resourceful Gazans Transform Aid Pallets Into Essential Furniture Amid Severe Shortages

Momen Abu Jarrad is preparing for his wedding, but furnishing his future home has proven to be an immense challenge. Living in the Tal Al Hawa neighbourhood west of Gaza city, the 29-year-old has searched for any surviving pieces of furniture, only to find that steep prices are the greatest barrier. "Traditional bedroom sets that survived the conflict are now over $5,000," he told The National. "Most young people and families can’t afford such high prices." With Israeli restrictions barring new wood and furniture from entering Gaza, residents must rely entirely on what remains.

About two months ago, Mr Abu Jarrad discovered an online advertisement for a local carpentry workshop that repurposes wooden pallets from aid and commercial deliveries into furniture. Although far from ideal, the affordable alternative caught his attention, with a complete pallet bedroom set costing roughly $1,300—less than a third of the price of traditional sets. "It’s better than sleeping on a mattress on the floor and far less expensive than a traditional set," he noted.

Pallet-made furniture has become widespread across Gaza to compensate for the severe shortage of conventional timber. Residents and carpenters dismantle the pallets, extract the nails, and transform the wooden planks into beds, wardrobes, desks, chairs, and shelves. Many are also utilizing the wood to construct market stalls, classrooms, and basic shelters. "Pallet wood has helped solve a major problem for us. Many young people are opting for this type of furniture now," Mr Abu Jarrad said.

Before the war, Gaza’s carpenters worked with a variety of imported woods and operated workshops equipped with machinery to craft diverse furniture styles. Much of that industry has since been destroyed, with workshops damaged or razed, machinery lost, and material imports heavily restricted. Ahmed Abu Khadra, a carpentry workshop owner in Gaza city, now depends almost exclusively on pallet wood. He explained that it has helped ease a major crisis by providing raw materials, even though prices have surged. A pallet that cost roughly five shekels before the war now sells for 70 to 100 shekels ($23 to $33).

Despite the rising costs, demand continues to climb as families face a lack of alternatives. "People truly need furniture – desks, bedroom sets, shelves, wardrobes, chairs," Mr Abu Khadra said. Operating with limited resources, he and other local carpenters craft practical and presentable items through a slow, physically demanding process that involves dismantling each pallet, removing nails, cutting uneven pieces, and sanding them before assembly. Primary challenges include high electricity costs and a scarcity of proper tools and machinery, such as saws. A two-person wardrobe costs approximately $330, while a desk runs about $130—prices that remain high compared to prewar standards, but are relatively manageable in the current market.

For some displaced Palestinians, these pallets serve an even larger purpose: building entire homes. Mohammed Farwana, a 36-year-old displaced resident of Deir Al Balah, is using them to construct a one-bedroom house. After enduring two and a half years in tents, he believes a wooden structure is well worth the investment, particularly as the rainy winter season approaches. "Life in a tent is extremely difficult, especially as winter approaches, with the rain," he said. Having started construction two months ago, he expects to finish this month. "Seeing successful examples of wooden rooms, shops and furniture in Gaza encouraged me to try it," Mr Farwana added.

Materials originally designated for temporary aid delivery are now being shaped into beds, children's desks, and walls for displaced families. "This furniture isn’t what I dream of for my future home but we are forced to adapt to what we can afford now," Mr Abu Jarrad concluded, highlighting how essential resourcefulness has become in coping with widespread destruction and severe shortages in Gaza.