Gaza / PNN /

Amidst the sprawling ruins and the persistent hum of drones over Gaza, Hussam Al-Ssawaf stands inside his damaged workshop, meticulously spinning a makeshift, hand-driven wooden wheel. For Al-Ssawaf, this crude contraption is not just a tool; it is a desperate lifeline connecting him to a centuries-old family legacy and a practical solution to the severe shortages plaguing the blockaded enclave.

"This craft is an inheritance passed down through generations," Al-Ssawaf says, brushing dust from his looms. “I grew up watching my father and grandfather weave. Continuing this work after my father, Haj Mahmoud Al-Ssawaf, passed away is a responsibility. I cannot let this heritage vanish.”

The Al-Ssawaf family has long been synonymous with Gaza's traditional textile identity, famous for weaving durable floor mats and carpets. However, the current war brought production to a grinding halt during its initial weeks, forcing the family to flee and leaving their historic workshop at the mercy of intense bombardments.

When Al-Ssawaf finally returned, he faced catastrophic scenes. Intense airstrikes and subsequent fires had destroyed between 80 to 85 percent of his vital raw materials, particularly the specialized threads needed for the looms. The remaining fragments of his inventory are trapped in heavily compromised storage structures, rendering them dangerous or nearly impossible to access.

Compounding the crisis is Gaza's total lack of electricity, an obstacle that routinely cripples local manufacturing. To bypass the blackout, Al-Ssawaf looked to the past. Remembering an archival photograph of his grandfather using a manual spinning tool, he designed and built a hand-cranked wooden wheel to keep his looms moving without relying on a power grid.

"I repaired the looms, set up the manual wheel, and brought in local youth to work with me," Al-Ssawaf explains, emphasizing his dual mission to revive the craft and generate much-needed employment. “We are relying entirely on the few materials we have left until we can somehow secure new supplies.”

Despite the heavily limited production capacity, Al-Ssawaf's locally woven mats have seen a massive surge in demand across Gaza's depleted markets, where basic household goods are virtually non-existent. For thousands of displaced families living in tents or damaged structures, his lightweight, easily washable mats offer a practical, dignified alternative to bare ground.

For Al-Ssawaf, the overwhelming response from local consumers is a powerful motivation to keep the threads moving, despite the heavy financial losses and severe lack of resources.

"Operating this workshop, even with the bare minimum, is our way of preserving Palestinian cultural heritage," Al-Ssawaf says. "It is how we survive, how we provide for our community, and how we refuse to let the war erase who we are."

This video was produced with the financial support of CFI, Expertise France and the European Union. The content of this document is the sole responsibility of the beneficiary and does not necessarily reflect the views of CFI, Expertise France or the European Union.