A Gaza bookseller returned to the ruins for the books

After losing his home, bookstore and son in the war, Gaza bookseller Mohammed Saad is rebuilding his collection one rescued book at a time. Selling volumes from a roadside tent, he is determined to preserve culture, memory and hope despite the devastation.

When war destroyed his home and bookstore in Beit Lahia, Mohammed Saad lost far more than a business. The 58-year-old bookseller saw the collection he had spent 35 years building buried beneath the debris, along with the place that had defined his life.

After being displaced to Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, Saad returned to the ruins despite the dangers, determined to recover as many books as possible.

"I found the house and the libraries destroyed, and the bombing was still ongoing. I tried to remove the rubble to retrieve the books," he recalled.

Risking his life to save books

Saad says he ignored the danger as he searched through the wreckage, believing the books were too valuable to abandon.

"The shooting was right above our heads, and I was grabbing books because books are precious," he said. "I've been dealing with these books for 35 years."

Before the war, he sold books outside the Islamic University gate and in Gaza City's old Firas market before opening a large bookstore in Beit Lahia. The conflict destroyed both his home and business, and he also lost his son.

A bookstore under canvas

Today, Saad has rebuilt his livelihood in the most modest of settings: a roadside tent in Deir el-Balah.

The rescued books are stacked in makeshift displays, often exposed to heat, dust and weather because he lacks proper shelves and storage. Despite these conditions, the small bookstore provides an income for his family while continuing to offer readers access to literature and knowledge.

A plea to protect books

Saad has appealed to Gaza residents not to destroy books they no longer need, urging them instead to give them a second life.

"I say, whoever has books, don't burn them. I'll buy them from anyone who has books," he said. "Don't burn them, because books have value, and books are life for a person."

Preserving memory through literature

For Saad, every recovered book represents more than paper and ink. It is a symbol of resilience in a territory where homes, schools and cultural institutions have suffered widespread destruction.

His small tent has become more than a bookstore—it is a reminder that even amid war and loss, preserving knowledge and culture remains an act of hope.