Name: Gaza’s potters rebuild life through clay and tradition
Uploaded: 2025-11-12T08:21:21.112Z
Duration: 2 min 29 s
Description: In Gaza, amid destruction and loss, artisans reshape hope from clay — preserving identity, culture, and survival through their craft.

In Gaza, amid destruction and loss, artisans reshape hope from clay — preserving identity, culture, and survival through their craft.

Jerusalem

In Gaza City, local potters like Ahmad Atallah and Mo'taz Hijazi are reviving traditional pottery to support their families and maintain a sense of cultural identity following extensive destruction. Pottery, which was previously used mainly for decoration, has become vital for daily needs such as cooking and storing food and water after the loss of most homeware shops.

Despite the loss of workshops and homes due to ongoing conflict, these artisans continue their craft, often setting up stalls on the streets to earn a living. Their efforts reflect both resilience and a commitment to passing on their heritage to future generations.

Gaza’s potters rebuild life through clay and tradition

In Gaza City, where so much has been lost, a father sits at his body wheel, shaping what little remains. Clay, patience, and hope. Beside him, his young son watches in silence, eyes following his hands. For Ahmad Atallah, this is not just work, it's survival, and a skill he's passing down to the next generation. We inherited this craft from our fathers. We've been making pottery for decades. When I work, I feel proud, because this represents our history and civilization. Pottery is part of Gaza's story. Historians agree it has no clear beginning. It was born with humanity itself. I want to pass it on to my son, because it's part of our identity and heritage in Gaza. As the pots slowly fill the shelves, they reflect the resourcefulness of Palestinians and the determination to keep going. Before the war, traditional pottery and ceramics were mostly used as ornaments in people's homes. But now, after the destruction of almost all shops selling crockery and homeware, they've become more than decorations. They are essential to daily life. After returning to find their home in ruins, Mohammed and his family have come to depend on these simple pots to cook in and to store their meals and water. When we returned home, we found no trace of our house. Not a single sign of it remained. We didn't even have a plate to eat off of or a cup to drink from. We had to use old pottery plates and bowls from the past. Israel's war destroyed his grandfather's workshop, which had been in the family for generations. But it did not stop Mo'taz Hijazi. He set up his stall on the street. I insisted on opening on the street because it's our only source of income. We rely on it to make a living. Amid the ruins, endurance. Hands are shaving the future, carrying the story from one generation to the next. Ibrahim Khalili, Al Jazeera, Gaza City, Palestine.

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