In Gaza City, Baraa Abu al-Aoun spends hours fixing worn banknotes. He straightens and colors old 100 shekel notes with simple tools like pencils and glue. Instead of studying at university, he repairs money to help people use cash amid a serious crisis. Since the 2023 Hamas-Israel war began, Israel stopped sending banknotes and many banks were destroyed. With no working ATMs and banks struggling to reopen, Gazans face huge cash shortages. People need cash for food and basics, so every note counts. As a result, repairing old banknotes has become a thriving new business. "My tools are simple: a ruler, pencils, coloured pencils and glue," says Baraa. "The ceasefire hasn't changed the financial situation. What I do now is to serve people and help them." The UN says Gaza’s economy is shattered, pushing over two million people into poverty. Unemployment hits 80%. Cash is so rare that money merchants charge high fees to convert digital money into cash—sometimes up to 50%. Banks are barely functioning. Long lines form at reopened branches, where people try to reactivate accounts or open new ones. Many still can’t access their money easily. To ease the cash crunch, many use e-wallets and money transfer apps. The Bank of Palestine reports over 500,000 e-wallet users in Gaza. Humanitarian groups like Unicef send aid through these digital wallets, helping vulnerable families buy food and water. Jonathan Crickx of Unicef says, "You can go to the grocery store and the phone is used as a payment card." Despite this, prices remain extremely high. Families buy a few kilograms of vegetables for shocking sums. Baraa hopes for peace and a better future. "I just want this war to end fully," he says. "My hope is to feel relief at last, so that I can study and work with a degree. In Gaza, we're just surviving. We're not human beings anymore."