Corona virus did not prevent hundreds of citizens from going to the clothing markets in the Gaza Strip in preparation for Eid Al-Fitr, despite the stoppage of the production movement for more than two months.
The main streets are crowded with shoppers in a long-unfamiliar scene due to the precautionary measures taken to confront Corona. Hajj Saad, 50, told Al-Quds that "the conditions in Gaza are reassuring and we must buy clothes for children. Our pain, "he added," I was unable to work throughout the previous period and spent a lot of my savings, but it did not matter to sustenance to God. "
"The markets started early in a way that I did not expect, and the market was dead, but thank God, things are better," said Abu Imad, the clothing trader.
The Gaza Strip suffers from a catastrophic economic situation due to the Israeli blockade imposed more than 13 years ago, and the Corona pandemic worsened it, and it brought poverty and unemployment rates to unprecedented rates.
Umm Hassan, a citizen, went out to the market with her three children, who seemed tired as she entered a store after the other. She told Al-Quds that all she has 200 shekels wants to buy clothes for children, but the prices are high and the money is not enough. "I want to satisfy all children." She added: "The circumstances are getting more complicated and difficult, and after the Eid, the school season will be with God´s help."
Sameh, a shoe salesman, believes that the opportunity is appropriate for traders to compensate some of their big losses during the last period for stopping the commercial movement because of Corona. He said, "Personally, I made big cuts on prices to save what could be saved, and the money today is the citizen disburses it carefully because it is little in the hands of people." As much as possible, but in the end, we cannot lose more than that. No one has compensated us, and life must continue. "
Police and consumer protection teams make continuous field trips to markets and shops to ensure the implementation of the health measures imposed by Corona and try to prevent congestion and regulate traffic and traffic, and not to tamper with prices and monopoly.
Young Mustafa was busy in an argument with the owner of a clothing store about the price of a shirt, and attempts to converge around the price did not succeed until Mustafa went out to another place, and he said, "I am a university student and the situation is everyone knows it and the world is upside down and we do not know how to manage our situation between university fees and life expenses, Ramadan, Eid, etc. My money, "he continued," I differed with the merchant in the price on ten shekels, and now each shekel differs with me and no one knows how things will be in the coming days. "
As for Naji and his five children, he preferred to go to the bale market, which witnessed a big active movement, and he told Al-Quds: “Two reasons led me to shop here. The prices are cheap, and some are of high quality. It does not stop and I do not know where we will come, and the money that I have with it was taken by a debt from my employee’s brother and his salary went down in discounts from 2017 and God knows when I will pay them. ”
