Gaza aid groups use discarded cooking pots to build makeshift seawalls

With winter approaching, aid organisations in Gaza are finding an inventive way to protect shelters and schools from flooding: turning discarded cooking pots into makeshift seawalls. The unusual construction method is being used along coastal areas where rising sea levels and winter storms threaten low-lying buildings, according to a report by Al Jazeera.

The project involves collecting damaged and worn-out cooking pots that are no longer suitable for food preparation. These metal pots, once destined for scrap, are being stacked and secured to form barriers that can help hold back the sea. The goal is to prevent floodwaters from reaching residential areas and educational facilities, which often lack formal coastal defences.

The initiative highlights the resourcefulness of communities and aid groups working under severe material shortages. With limited access to conventional building materials, repurposing everyday items has become a practical solution. The seawalls, while improvised, provide a degree of protection against the seasonal flooding that has worsened in recent years.

Al Jazeera's Tareq Abu Azzoum reported on the efforts, showing how the pot seawalls are being assembled near vulnerable sites. Aid workers involved in the project say the barriers are a temporary but necessary measure to safeguard lives and property during the winter months.

Coastal flooding has long been a challenge in Gaza, where infrastructure is often overstretched. The use of recycled cooking pots is one of several adaptations seen in the area as communities brace for another wet season.