In Gaza, wood is turned to charcoal
In adapting to years of border blockades and shortages, Gazans have become experts at recycling and making new out of old including turning scrap wood into charcoal to be used for barbecue grills and water pipes in local restaurants and coffee houses.
Wood is not in ample supply in the sandy coastal strip where a rapidly growing population, now at 1.7 million, is steadily gobbling up the remaining open spaces.
The charcoal production first began in 2004, using trees the Israeli military had cut down in rural areas to deprive Gaza rocket squads of cover when they fired their projectiles toward Israel.
When Israel and Egypt imposed a tight closure on the territory in 2007 in response to the takeover by the Islamic militant Hamas, the charcoal-makers used scrap wood brought into Gaza from Egypt through smuggling tunnels. Since then, both Israel and Egypt have eased the closures, and some of the wood needed for charcoal-making is even imported legally.
Citrus trees work best for charcoal, but are very expensive. Old olive trees and other types are used instead.
Wood sticks are sorted, arranged in a pyramid shape, buried in the sand and allowed to smolder for days. Workers regularly moisten the wood to slow down the burning.
