Gaza displaced families turn to primitive building methods to create shelters

Displaced families in the Gaza Strip are turning to primitive building methods to create shelters with mud and rubble given the onset of the cold winter, as Israeli restrictions block the entry of construction materials.

Two years of brutal war have left vast areas of Gaza in ruins. With construction materials barred from entering, stalling reconstruction, families are left with little choice but to rebuild homes using only mud, water and any debris they can salvage.

Palestinian officials have warned that thousands of displaced families across the strip are still living in worn-out tents that offer little protection from the winter cold. According to estimates from the United Nations in April this year, 92 percent of Gaza’s housing units have been damaged or destroyed with around 436,000 homes affected.