Gaza’s cement turns rubble into cheap substitute
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- Israel has barred cement and all building materials from Gaza since October 2023, maintaining a blockade that predates the current war.
- Saadi al‑Sha’er runs an improvised cement operation that crushes bombed‑out concrete and marble, mixing 60 % cement dust, 15 % lime, 10 % gypsum, 10 % calcium and a bonding agent to produce 0.5‑2 tonnes a day, employing about 30 workers.
- Ibrahim al‑Aloul and his crew grind the rubble by hand while wearing fabric masks against toxic dust, underscoring severe health risks for workers.
- The substitute cement sells for 12‑18 shekels per kilogram at source, but after traders a single bag costs 2,000 shekels (£506), far above the pre‑war price of 40 shekels.
- Mahmoud Ubeid says the improvised cement is now the primary material for finishing work in hospitals and public sites, but it fails structural testing and is only suitable for temporary repairs, with a 12‑month warranty.
- OCHA reports that despite the October 2025 ceasefire’s requirement to resume reconstruction materials, continued bans on “dual‑use” items keep Gaza’s rebuilding far below needs—production is less than one‑thousandth of the temporary‑finishing demand.
Why it matters: The makeshift cement gives Gaza’s hospitals and a few families a rare chance to build sturdier shelters, but its toxic production endangers workers and its weak strength limits any lasting reconstruction; meanwhile, the Israeli blockade’s continued ban on proper building supplies leaves the Strip’s rebuilding effort vastly under‑resourced.
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