On May Day, Gaza’s workers find whatever source of income they can

Gaza City, Gaza Strip – On top of the rubble of a destroyed building, Ibrahim Abu al-Eish is busy clearing stones and collapsed roofing to prepare the way for a bulldozer that will remove what remains of the building. Ibrahim, 24 years old, starts his day in the early hours of the morning and works until evening, employed as a labourer with a local contracting company clearing debris from buildings destroyed during Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza . Recommended Stories list of 3 items end of list He began working in this field after a ceasefire began in October, as some local efforts began in Gaza – devastated by more than two years of war – to remove rubble, reopen roads, and eliminate hazards in unstable structures. Ibrahim is happy to have work as Gaza’s economic crisis , brought on by the war, continues. But the accounting graduate says the work is extremely difficult, and unsafe. “It’s very exhausting work. I never imagined in my life that I would work in such a profession,” Ibrahim told Al Jazeera, taking a few minutes to rest before continuing. “I’ve been injured several times, and once a colleague had part of a house roof collapse on him and was seriously hurt,” he added. Despite this, Ibrahim finds himself forced to endure the harsh and dangerous challenges of his job due to the heavy responsibilities he carries. He supports a family of nine, including his parents and siblings, who are living in difficult conditions in a displacement camp in Jabalia, in northern Gaza. …