Life in Gaza: The Art of Repairing Banknotes Amid Economic Strife

Sun Nov 30 2025 14:39:52 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In the aftermath of conflict, the once-simple task of handling cash has become a lifeline for many in Gaza. Baraa Abu al-Aoun is among those turning a hobby into necessity, offering currency repair services in markets devastated by war.

Baraa Abu al-Aoun, a young money repairer in Gaza, highlights the challenges of cash transactions amid an ongoing economic crisis exacerbated by war. With banks destroyed and cash scarce, he plays a pivotal role in sustaining the currency's circulation, using simple tools to restore worn banknotes as demand skyrockets. The article sheds light on Gaza's staggering poverty, reliance on informal money transfers, and the innovative adaptations residents are making to survive.

In a bustling Gaza City market, a money repairer expertly inspects a worn, yellow 100 shekel ($30.50; £23.10) note. He straightens it out and enhances its faded colour with careful strokes of a pencil.

Baraa Abu al-Aoun should have been studying at university - but instead he ekes out a living from a table he has set up at the roadside, taking a small sum to help keep cash in circulation.

Fixing banknotes is a thriving new business in Gaza. Ever since the deadly Hamas-led attack on Israel in 2023 and the devastating war that ensued, Israel stopped transfers of banknotes, along with most other supplies.

Most banks were destroyed in Israeli strikes, and many were looted. While some branches have reopened since a ceasefire took effect seven weeks ago, there are still no working ATMs.

But people need cash to buy food and essentials. That has forced them to turn to informal money merchants who charge enormous commissions to turn digital transfers into cash. It has also sparked a huge increase in the use of e-wallets and money transfer apps.

And it means that every existing banknote matters more than ever - no matter how tattered. That's where Baraa comes in. My tools are simple: a ruler, pencils, coloured pencils and glue, he says.

The ceasefire hasn't changed the financial situation. What I do now is to serve people and help them.

Gaza's economic collapse has been so catastrophic during two years of intense war that a new UN report says its entire population of more than two million has been pushed into poverty.

Four in five people are now unemployed according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad), and even those who still have an income or savings struggle to access cash.

It's pure suffering and nothing else, says Numan Rayhan, who is displaced in Gaza City from Jabalia in northern Gaza with few belongings. Shortage of income, shortage of money, no cash flow from the banks.

During the war, adapting to the urgent need for cash, many small businessmen who previously offered money transfer and exchange services began charging customers high commission to turn electronic transfers into cash. On occasion it has reached 50%, although it has recently dropped.

Through this small but significant service, Baraa continues to provide for his community while longing for normalcy and a chance to pursue education amidst the ongoing struggles they face in Gaza.