Photos: Palestinians rebuild Gaza’s ruins with mud bricks, scrap

What the report says

Al Jazeera reported on September 8, 2026, that Palestinians across Gaza are using mud bricks, salvaged wood, fabric, plastic and other scrap materials to put up makeshift shelters and repair damaged homes and shops. The photo report shows residents working in places such as Nuseirat, the Maghazi refugee camp and Gaza City, where many buildings have been flattened and construction materials are scarce.

According to the publisher, the improvised rebuilding is taking place because more than 90 percent of the Strip has been destroyed since the war began in October 2023, leaving families without reliable housing or basic infrastructure. The makeshift structures are described as fragile and poorly insulated, but many people say they are preferable to remaining in crowded tents or sleeping outdoors.

The article also cites figures from Palestinian health authorities and Gaza’s Government Media Office saying at least 73,658 Palestinians have been killed and that around 223,000 tonnes of explosives have been dropped, producing an estimated 68 million tonnes of rubble. Al Jazeera said the United Nations estimates only about 310,000 tonnes of debris have been cleared so far, underscoring the scale of the reconstruction challenge.

The images and captions highlight the human side of that effort, with workers molding clay bricks, cutting wood and patching damaged structures by hand. More broadly, the report shows how Gaza residents are improvising with limited resources as they try to restore some form of shelter amid widespread destruction.