Poverty in Gaza sustains used-clothing market
Secondhand clothing sellers in Gaza see a steady increase in demand despite the social stigma.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Merchant Mohammed al-Masri’s voice boomed through the loudspeaker as he mans his used clothing stand at the popular Firas market in the center of Gaza City. “Prices on fire, pick and choose. Any piece for 15 shekels [$4.30],” he tells dozens of customers as they rifle through the piles of clothing.
With sweat pouring down his forehead, Masri told Al-Monitor, “These used clothes attract the poor who are unable to afford new articles. They spend a few minutes choosing whatever is adequate for their needs, all for a few shekels.”
Demand is increasing in the secondhand-clothing market as poverty and unemployment continue to rise due to the the Israeli siege imposed on Gaza for the past seven years continues, according to Mouin Rajab, an economics professor at Gaza’s Al-Azhar University. “Poor Gazan families lack the income needed to buy new clothes. That is why they resort to clothing donated by families who no longer need older items, or buy secondhand clothes sold in popular markets,” he told Al-Monitor.
Close to Masri stood another merchant, Fayez al-Hassan, who pointed at his wares of denim pants, which he advertised with the catchphrase “No to high costs. 80 shekels [$23.16] → only 20 shekels [$5.79]” to attract a lot of customers.
