RAFAH — Ahead of Israel’s imminent ground offensive on Gaza’s southernmost city, the price of wood and nylon seem to be the main concern right now for Mahmoud al-Araj.
Al-Araj, a Palestinian man in his 40s who is fortunate — so far — because he has not been forced to flee the home he shares with his wife, three children — and now with a crowd of displaced people from northern Gaza.
The daily Israeli statements about the invasion of Rafah, and the renewed violent bombing of the city over the past few days, appears bound to turn al-Araj into a displaced person himself, and re-displace the 12 people, who are being hosted in his home.
Right now, his plan is to move to central Gaza, as it now appears to be the only place available amid the fighting in Khan Younis and the Israeli occupation army’s sealing of northern Gaza.
Funding challenge
Al-Araj’s priority currently is to search for a source to finance the displacement process, which would require about 1,000 shekels (3).
And the wood and nylon? He needs to find and buy them to build the tent that they will move into. The alternative would be to buy a ready-made tent, which al-Araj says has become impossible, as it now costs more than 2,000 shekels (7).
His salary has been cut off.
He also needs to buy two barrels: one will be used as a toilet and the second for washing their clothes and utensils. He’ll also need to find enough money to afford a used vehicle that will transport them, and their wood and nylon and barrels to their next location.
Al-Araj used to receive a monthly salary of up to 3,000 shekels (1) from his job as a civil servant. His salary has been cut off since Israel stopped paying the tax funds for the Palestinian Authority after Hamas’ October 7 assault, and the subsequent Israeli war on Gaza.
The father of three told Mada Masr that since the start of the war, he’s been forced to spend virtually all his savings amid the skyrocketing prices of food and other essentials in Gaza, especially diapers for his three-year-old son, who started urinating involuntarily due to his fear of the sounds of bombing, he said.
“A packet of Pampers now costs 100 shekels () …before the war, it was between 10 and 25 shekels (.73-.80),” he said. He said that shortage of diapers forced families to resort to old ways known as “Qafoula,” which led to skin abrasion.
Al-Araj said he will likely borrow the funds for his displacement from one of the relatives who saved some of their money at their homes before the war. It’s an alternative he has relied on in recent months, in addition to sums sent by relatives in Europe through intermediaries with a mechanism that he admits he does not fully understand.
Egypt is not an option
The other option from central Gaza is to cross into Egypt. It’s an option that, he said, would ideally be more suitable for families with children, like his own. But he is unlikely to do so. Aside from the soaring financial cost of crossing to Egypt through Rafah crossing, he insists on remaining in Gaza as it is his land and the land of his ancestors.
This is a red line.
“I am not thinking about exodus to Egypt,” he said. “In our thinking and belief, this is a red line.”
As for his future tent, al-Araj says that it would be for his family of five, plus his parents and perhaps one of his aunts. Other members of his extended family will not be traveling with him.
“The experience of war has proven that it is better to be separate, so that if the bombing affects us, the family will not be annihilated all at once,” he said in a shaky voice.
He recalled that his 10-year-old son said something different after the war began, telling his father it is better that if a bomb hits, it’s better it kills the whole family — so there would be no wounded left to suffer or other survivors to mourn the dead.
