Cement prices in Gaza plummet

Palestine Today reports that the cost for cement in Gaza, smuggled in from Egypt, has dropped from 1200 NIS to 700 NIS in recent months.

That comes out to about $180 per metric ton, which is about twice what it costs in the US.

The local Gaza cement industry continues to extract materials from destroyed buildings to create new cement clocks, but they are somewhat inferior for construction.

The article stresses that the price of other materials needed for construction remain high, including steel.

Ceramic tiles from Egypt are significantly cheaper than that which can be locally made, which hurts the local industry.