{
  "id": 5723771,
  "title": "Aid pallets become furniture as Gazans rebuild homes with whatever remains",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/aid-pallets-become-furniture-as-gazans-rebuild-homes-with-whatever-5723771",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-05T05:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National UAE",
    "slug": "the-national-uae",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/09/05/aid-pallets-become-furniture-as-gazans-rebuild-homes-with-whatever-remains/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Momen Abu Jarrad, a 29-year-old resident of the Tal Al Hawa neighbourhood west of Gaza city, is preparing for his wedding but struggling to furnish his future home. After scouring the limited furniture options that have survived the war, he discovered an affordable alternative: furniture made from wooden aid pallets. Pallet-made furniture has become prevalent in Gaza to compensate for the scarcity of traditional timber.\n\nCarpenters in the region dismantle pallets, remove nails, and transform the planks into beds, wardrobes, desks, chairs, and shelves. Ahmed Abu Khadra, a carpentry workshop owner, now primarily uses pallet wood to produce furniture. Although the cost of pallet wood has increased significantly, demand remains high due to the lack of alternatives for families.\n\nAhmed Abu Jarrad and other carpenters work slowly and laboriously to create practical, presentable pieces. Despite the high electricity costs and limited tools, the price of a two-person wardrobe is about $330 and a desk around $130, which is relatively affordable in today's market. Some displaced Palestinians, like Mohammed Farwana, are even using pallets to build entire homes.",
  "summary": "Momen Abu Jarrad is preparing for his wedding but furnishing his future home feels almost impossible. The 29-year-old lives in the Tal Al Hawa neighbourhood west of Gaza city and has scoured the few pieces of furniture for sale that have survived the war. Prices, however, have become the biggest obstacle. “Traditional bedroom sets that survived the conflict are now over $5,000,” he told The…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National Business",
        "title": "Aid pallets become furniture as Gazans rebuild homes with whatever remains",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/aid-pallets-become-furniture-as-gazans-rebuild-homes-with-whatever",
        "published": "2026-09-05T05:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}