Gaza’s Crumbling Textile Sector Has Been Revitalized in the Battle Against COVID-19

State College — A clothing manufacturing plant in the Gaza Strip has transformed its operations to help protect its community from COVID-19.

The establishment, known as Unipal 2000, is a textile factory which normally manufactures clothing. With the pandemic creating a massive demand for personal protective equipment such as facemasks, the owner of this business has converted manufacturing efforts to provide the essentials Gaza needs.

This factory’s prospects go far beyond filling the needs of Gazans, however. Israeli companies have been cooperating with the owner of the plant, signing contracts and supplying materials needed to create millions of masks, filling the void for these products in Israel. Not only that, but masks are being exported to international communities and organizations that are also in need of the equipment.

*Map of Israel, Gaza strip highlighted in red. Map courtesy of Wikimedia Commons*

Gaza has been under blockade by Israel since Hamas was voted into office in 2006. Restrictions were tightened in 2007, after Hamas militants violently took control over Gaza, killing multiple Fatah members and expelling others. The blockade imposes severe restrictions on imports and a near-total shutdown of exports out of the tiny sliver of land. Both Israel and Gaza’s other neighbor, Egypt, have implemented measures to limit the number of people entering or leaving Gaza. These measures, along with a handful of conflicts with Israel, have been detrimental to the economy of Gaza and the health of its population. Gaza’s unemployment rate was as high as 52% by the end of 2018.

The changing landscape of the world due to the pandemic, however, is showing a surge in a place most would assume would be especially vulnerable to the virus. The measures taken to produce this equipment is benefitting not only the factory in Gaza — that is now able to create jobs, generate revenue in a long-defunct industry and forge relationships with customers internationally — but also Israeli companies investing in deals with the plant.

The sudden economic boost is conditional. Even with a renewed sector of the economy and an opportunity for growth, Gaza’s imports are still harshly restricted. As the crisis continues and conditions worsen in the strip, it will take help from Israel or other international actors to provide for the nearly 2 million people living in the area. Reports of medicine shortages in Gaza last summer were attributed to the blockade. With continuing developments in relations between Hamas and the Israeli government, the blockade could become an obstacle for further cooperative efforts.

It can be argued that this most recent business deal is out of complete necessity, but it shows a willingness of Israeli authorities and Hamas to cooperate when it is beneficial to both parties. Hamas and Prime Minister Netanyahu have stated earlier this month that they are willing to negotiate a long-awaited prisoner swap.

There are countless complications that will need to be addressed, should any future collaboration be desired. The Great March of Return protests — and the near 200 killed during them. — are not far out of the memory for most Palestinians in Gaza, let alone Hamas. Israel is still putting together a government after the most recent round of elections in the country. The results may see a number of different policies towards the Gaza Strip, depending on what the coalition looks like.

Though the efforts at dialogue may give some hope, it is clear that the road to furthering it will not be an easy one. As the virus continues to cause additional issues for both Israelis and Palestinians, points of contention like the blockade of Gaza will be called into question, and examples of cooperation like this business venture may be used to demonstrate a potential future absent of such restrictions.