Conflict & Security
Scavenging Rubble and Formal Clearance: Gaza's Twin Realities of Survival and Reconstruction
July 13, 2026 at 05:59 PM
Coverage
2 reports · over 32 hours
Gaza residents have turned to scavenging rubble for scrap materials to sell, while the Council of Peace has launched a formal bid process to clear debris in Rafah as a first step toward reconstruction.
- Gaza residents have been scavenging rubble for scrap metal and materials to sell, earning up to $40 per day, according to scavenger Hassan Nayef.
- Nayef said he and others search for sellable items in the rubble, facing risks from collapsing structures and unexploded ordnance.
- The Council of Peace has invited international companies to submit bids for the first phase of rubble removal in Rafah, as part of broader reconstruction plans.
- Over 80% of Gaza's buildings have been destroyed, leaving an estimated 60 to 70 million tons of rubble across the strip.