Gaza Strip - October 14, 2024

A kindly carpenter in the southern Gaza city of Rafah has been helping local Palestinians get back on their feet amid the ongoing conflict by making affordable made-to-measure wooden shoes out of whatever available resources he can find to prevent people having to walk barefoot around their displacement camps.

Carpenter Saber Dawas was one of the many who fled from northern Gaza to escape the Israeli bombardment, but with the difficulties caused by the continuing conflict and the blockage of aid supplies from the closed Rafah border crossing seeing the prices of daily goods soar, he has sought to offer some help to those in need.

Dawas' unexpected shoe-making endeavor came about as many of his family members were in dire need of footwear, and he became especially worried about his children, who were most vulnerable to the potential health hazards posed by walking barefoot.

The father says he made his first batch of shoes with a borrowed saw and wood taken down from his tent.

With the spread of disease being "rampant" in Rafah and out of fears that other barefooted youths like his children would suffer, Dawas decided to make more of his handmade, customized-size shoes to sell to others at a fair price.

The carpenter's wooden shoes have been well received by young customers. Heba, a local resident in Rafah, said the shoes saved her from the huge discomfort of walking on the hot ground, as well as avoiding the costly price of the other shoes available at the market.

Shotlist:
Rafah City, Gaza Strip - Oct 13, 2024:
FILE: Gaza Strip - Date Unknown
1. Various of tents, displaced people in refugee camp;
Rafah City, Gaza Strip - Oct 13, 2024
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Saber Dawas, carpenter (partially overlaid with shots 3-4):
"There are six people in my family, they all need shoes. I went to the market to buy shoes, but I found the prices are too high, and I couldn't afford them. We can barely afford to buy food and water. Being a carpenter, I came up with the idea of making wooden shoes for them. I cut a piece of wood from the tent and made it into sandals. It was while looking at the tent that this idea came to me. When I came here from the north, I brought a saw with me, but it wasn't very sharp. So, I had to borrow other tools from my neighbors. It's hard to survive without thinking ahead.";
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3. Dawas cutting wooden board in tent;
4. Various of Dawas cutting wooden board in tent;
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FILE: Al-Mawasi, Gaza Strip - Sept 5, 2024
5. Woman walking among tents;
6. Tents of displaced Palestinians;
Rafah City, Gaza Strip - Oct 13, 2024
7. Various of Dawas outlining child's footprint on wooden board;
8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Saber Dawas, carpenter (starting with shot 7/partially overlaid with shots 9-10):
"The closure of the borders led to a shortage of essential items for children, which sparked this idea. As you can see, diseases are rampant here, and the children are barefoot. They could get injured. I thought of making a batch of wooden shoes to sell cheaply at the market so that the children could at least have something to wear.";
[SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
9. Various of wooden shoes made by Dawas;
10. Child walking wearing wooden shoes made by Dawas;
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FILE: Al-Mawasi, Gaza Strip - Sept 5, 2024
11. Cooking pot on makeshift open fire stove;
12. Tents of displaced Palestinians;
Rafah City, Gaza Strip - Oct 13, 2024
13. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Heba, local resident (full name not given) (partially overlaid with shots 14-15):
"Everything is expensive now. We went to the market to buy shoes but couldn't find anything [suitable]. When we returned, we found someone making shoes in their tent. We went over, found our sizes, bought the shoes, and went home. That was our only option because we didn't have shoes and walking barefoot on the hot ground was unbearable.";
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14. Dawas making wooden shoes for child;
15. Heba walking wearing wooden shoes made by Dawas;
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FILE: Al-Mawasi, Gaza Strip - Sept 5, 2024
16. Various of Palestinian women, children in tent;
17. Utensils of displaced Palestinians.

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