It is a Thursday evening in Khan Younis and enterprise is nice on the al-Sawafiri restaurant. Not far-off, total blocks have been lowered to rubble, however right here, on this small nook of town within the southern Gaza Strip, the harm is much less in depth. Raed al-Sawafiri, the proprietor and supervisor, stands in entrance of rooster rotating on a grill and smiles. Each certainly one of his plastic tables is occupied.
Al-Sawafiri had no expertise of the restaurant commerce till very not too long ago. Displaced 10 instances through the 16-month battle in Gaza, the 23-year-old opened his first institution in Rafah, the southernmost metropolis within the territory, early this yr, after sourcing previous tools and sending his father to the border with Egypt to purchase meat.
“The response from folks was superb, however we needed to flee the [Israeli] assault on Rafah and transfer to the coast. Lastly, I made a decision to strive once more in Khan Younis and, thanks be to God, we’ve had success,” he stated.
The restaurant is certainly one of 1000’s of small companies created through the struggle by determined residents searching for to outlive economically. Planners now hope such initiatives will assist drive reconstruction efforts – if the ceasefire holds and Donald Trump revises his plan for the US to “personal” the territory, displace its inhabitants of greater than 2 million and rework it from a “demolition website” into the “Riviera of the Center East”.
Al-Sawafiri risked loss of life or damage to furnish his restaurant, scouring Gaza regardless of the Israeli offensive, which has lowered a lot of the territory to shattered ruins.
“Generally, I needed to stroll lengthy distances to fetch water, and at instances, I might search in areas like Deir al-Balah and Rafah and purchase the required tools at any value, and it was exhausting to search out expert cooks and high quality spices, however I didn’t hand over,” he stated.
Solely a handful of such institutions exist however their reputation is a testomony to the resolve of Palestinians in Gaza, observers say, the place greater than 90% of houses have been broken or destroyed, together with virtually all primary infrastructure.
Projections from 2024 estimate that simply clearing Gaza’s rubble, which is contaminated by poisonous chemical compounds and unexploded bombs, would take a fleet of 100 lorries 15 years.
But many in Gaza say they’re decided to rebuild, posting movies on social media of efforts to clear their houses of rubble, or pizza vans working their approach by the ruins.
“They’re heroes,” stated Yara Salem, a former World Financial institution govt primarily based in Ramallah who has labored with communities in Gaza on a brand new redevelopment plan. “It’s superhuman, their means to stay and relive. We now have this in our blood. We aren’t going to stay on handouts in a refugee camp. I’m a Palestinian and I’ve by no means seen such resilience like I see in Gaza.”
In Khan Younis on Thursday night, households sat all the way down to share dinner in eating places reminiscent of al-Sawafiri’s – some for the primary time for the reason that starting of the battle in October 2023.
Nivin Qadeh, 38, stated: “The final time we went out was three days earlier than the struggle began. The entire household went out on a visit earlier than the varsity yr started for our kids.
“We used to exit typically, and will give our kids no matter they requested for. However now we’ve misplaced our home and all our financial savings, so it is rather tough. For this one night, we are able to neglect our troubles.”
Qadeh’s household was displaced from their dwelling east of Deir al-Balah at the beginning of the Israeli offensive, which has killed at the least 47,000 folks, principally civilians. The struggle was triggered by a shock assault by Hamas into Israel that killed 1,200 folks, additionally principally civilians, with 250 taken hostage.
Qadeh stated: “There are nonetheless fears of the struggle returning as a result of the ceasefire is conditional and never everlasting. I’m very afraid that … the struggle will return as earlier than. What’s going to occur subsequent is unknown, however we benefit from each minute through the ceasefire to really feel a bit psychological stability and have life return to regular, even when just a bit.”
Regardless of the efforts of assist businesses, meals in Gaza stays scarce. Whereas some costs fell between December 2024 and January 2025, many fundamentals are as much as 12 instances costlier than earlier than the struggle. And although a 3rd of households surveyed reported improved entry to meals, in accordance with the UN, many are nonetheless consuming little greater than bread and tinned greens. The newest statistics reveal greater than 1 million persons are going through “emergency ranges of meals insecurity” or worse.
Gas can also be a serious downside, with no electrical energy and little or no gasoline. For months, waste plastic and wooden have been used for cooking, however these are scarce now, too.
These with common incomes can afford the occasional meal from a restaurant. Sihaam Abu Ghmeil, 29, who works for a global NGO, stated he had come to the Fahd restaurant in Khan Younis to purchase lunch for his household.
“This was all the time certainly one of my favorite eating places. The final time I got here was earlier than the struggle, on the Thursday evening simply earlier than the struggle started. We went out as a household, had dinner exterior, and a few sweets, and stayed till late at evening. That was the final household outing,” Abu Ghmeil stated.
“I’ll delete all reminiscences of the struggle from my thoughts utterly. Sooner or later, I don’t wish to keep in mind something from this time. I solely wish to maintain on to the blissful and delightful reminiscences of Gaza earlier than the struggle, for concern that these days could not return.”
Close by, Ahmed Hamad, a 19-year-old from Beit Hanoun who was a member of a conventional dance firm earlier than the struggle, was having fun with a shawarma kebab.
He stated: “Now, we really feel some reduction because of the ceasefire, and we stroll the streets feeling extra comfy. We are actually in a position to exit to take pleasure in shawarma or sit in cafes, which is basically essential as a result of we have to discover methods to launch our feelings after such an extended interval of pressure.”
On the evening earlier than the struggle, Hamad was performing in a restaurant within the Jabaliya camp, now lowered to ruins. “The environment was very good throughout these days, and I can’t neglect them. Once I keep in mind these moments, I really feel deep unhappiness,” he stated.
He’s not amongst these planning to rebuild Gaza, and is hoping for a life elsewhere: “I shall be one of many first to depart when the crossing opens for travellers, as a result of the state of affairs right here has turn into unsafe, and I favor to go to a safer place.”
