What survived beneath Gaza's rubble?

Amid the destruction left by the war in Gaza, bookseller Mohammad Saad has returned to what he knows best: saving books and sharing them with readers.

Saad has reopened his library in a tent in Deir al-Balah after losing his home in Beit Lahia during the conflict. Books now line the inside and outside of the temporary structure, which has become both a workplace and a community space.

The veteran bookseller says he has spent 35 years working in the trade, much of that time selling books near the Islamic University in Gaza.

Despite being displaced multiple times, Saad continued returning to northern Gaza to recover books buried beneath the ruins of his home.

"I tried to pull as many books as possible out from under the rubble until I managed to retrieve them," he said. "To this day, I continue to retrieve more books from the rubble."

With commercial premises out of reach, Saad decided to reopen in a tent.

"I have found no refuge other than this tent. When I approached landlords, they asked for rents that I couldn't afford, so I decided that a tent was the best option for me," Saad explained.

The tent library is part of an initiative he calls 'Educate Yourself to Understand Life,' which offers books at symbolic prices and encourages reading despite the hardships facing residents.

Saad said preserving access to books remains important for the community and called on others to support education.

"Let us stand together to encourage young people, women and others to read and learn. Books are part of people's lives, and we must preserve them," he urged.

His efforts come as reconstruction and recovery remain key issues across Gaza following years of conflict and displacement.