Gaza’s garment industry, which has been mostly dormant for more than a decade, has received a boost in recent months due to the Covid-19 pandemic and demand for protective equipment like face masks and surgical gowns.
Israel is the biggest customer, with truckloads of masks and other PPE crossing along the border. The reputation of Gaza’s tailors, coupled with proximity, use of the same currency, and low costs, make Gaza’s factories a top choice for Israelis.
An ITV News report in Gaza quoted Mohammad, a tailor in the Hassanco textile factory in Gaza City, who said: “This is a humanitarian issue. There is no difference between Jews and Arabs”.
The report also interviews Hassan Shehada, a factory owner who said he believed the business he is doing bodes well for the future: “Both sides will re-think. We want to eat and they want safety and security. I am hopeful things will get better”.
Gaza has so far been largely unaffected by Covid-19, due to the existing strict border controls in place.
Watch the ITV report here.
