'God has been kind to us': New community emerges in Cairo as a beacon of Palestinian resilience

More than 100,000 Gazan refugees have found a chance to rebuild their lives in a vibrant enclave of the Egyptian capital

The interior of Ibn Gaza, a shawarma shop in Cairo's Nasr City district, which has come to be known as 'Little Gaza' due to its large Palestinian refugee population. Mohamed Fathi for The National

In the busy streets of Cairo's Nasr City district, a vibrant new community has sprung up, born out of the turmoil and tragedy of war.

Known as "Little Gaza", the neighbourhood has become a refuge for a large portion of the more than 100,000 Palestinians who have fled the incessant Israeli bombardment hammering their homeland since October 2023.

Among them is Anwar Shahin, 21, a native of Gaza who arrived in Egypt in April with his family, seeking safety and a chance to rebuild their lives.

"I was in Gaza for seven months under Israeli bombardment," Anwar says. "We finally made it out in April. There really isn’t a way out of Gaza except through the Rafah border crossing. During normal times, one traveller would pay $300, but since the war, evacuees had to pay $5,000 per person, which is what we paid."

In Nasr City, Shahin co-owns and manages Ibn Gaza, a small shawarma shop under a flyover on Moustafa El Nahhas Street. The restaurant, which serves grilled meats, shawarma, and Palestinian pastries and breads is one of several Gazan businesses that have sprung up in recent months, alongside clothing shops, gelaterias and juice bars.

For Anwar, whose family previously ran a driving school in Gaza, moving into the restaurant sector was unfamiliar and daunting. He describes being unsure at first, but upon realising the vast differences in driving customs between Palestine and Egypt, he opted to partner with a friend to open Ibn Gaza.

"Nasr City has the largest community of Palestinians in Egypt, but specifically those from Gaza," Anwar explains. "But this isn’t necessarily new. There had been a fairly strong Gazan presence in Nasr City since before the war. I had relatives living here and often those who came to Cairo to visit from Gaza would stay with acquaintances or old family members here.”

Gaza-style turkey shawarma sandwiches are prepared at the Palestinian-owned Hay Al Rimal restaurant in Cairo. AFP

The Palestinian presence is palpable throughout the heart of Nasr City, one of the busiest Cairo neighbourhoods, known for its plethora of clothing outlets and eateries.

The distinct Palestinian dialect of Arabic can be heard as one walks along Kabul Street and Palestinian flags adorn many shopfronts.

"It makes being here feel more like home," Anwar says. "If we were alone here, we would just stay at home. Even something like a night out is made so much better when there are people around who are from your homeland."

Ibn Gaza's clientele is predominantly Palestinian, drawn by the familiar flavours of home, Anwar adds.

"Palestinians have a different taste palate to Egyptians. We like our food much more spiced. Perhaps the biggest difference in our two cuisines is grills, which we spice and cook differently to Egyptians."

Despite the contrasts, he is proud to say that Egyptians who try their grilled meats often become regular customers.

Yet the scars of war remain fresh. His father was forced to stay behind in Gaza when the Rafah crossing closed in May. "He couldn't make it out in time. He has lost over 40kg because of shortages of food and other supplies. He is living in a tent after the [Israeli] occupation destroyed all the homes."

Despite many finding success in Egypt, most Palestinians yearn to return home to Gaza.

"We don't know what will happen, the war is only getting worse," Anwar laments. "We will go back because one of the worst fates is to live outside your homeland. Every one of my family members' homes was destroyed but we will go back and rebuild it. It is our land and we will return, even if it means living in tents."

Many Palestinian refugees have found refuge in Cairo. AFP

Across the street from Ibn Gaza, Jaafar Helmy owns an ice cream shop called Glacera.

Jaafar, who arrived in Cairo three months before the war started, previously lived in Egypt for 12 years. "Life in Egypt was very tough for us in the beginning because of the high costs of living. We lost everything in the war, we couldn't take any of our assets or wealth with us," he says. "So we decided that instead of just spending our savings slowly, we would risk them on this shop – and God has been kind to us."

An architect by profession, Jaafar had built up two well-known ice cream brands in Gaza before they were destroyed in the war. Now, he is determined to recreate the success of Glacera, the larger of the two Gazan brands, in Cairo.

His shop offers Gazan street snacks such as barrad, a cross between a smoothie and a sorbet, and buttered sweetcorn. He plans to introduce winter treats like zalabia and manakeesh to make up for the drop in demand for ice cream over the winter months.

Ossama Aboul Aon, another architect-turned-restaurateur, owns Hay Al Rimal, named after the once-affluent coastal district of Gaza where he grew up.

His father's restaurant chain in Gaza comprised several branches, including one at Al Shifa Hospital that was destroyed during an Israeli military operation in April.

"There were really no jobs in Gaza for architects so I decided to join my father in the restaurant business," Ossama explains. "But the war started and just a few weeks after October 7, the occupation issued eviction orders and we were forced to leave the north."

His home, like countless others in Gaza, was destroyed. "Something that's a little funny is that in Gaza at the moment, partially destroyed homes have become prime real estate because they still have some of the walls standing and the occupation won't hit them again right away, so they're safe," he tells The National with a touch of dark humour.

However, starting a business as a Palestinian refugee is not without its challenges. Egyptian commercial law stipulates that Palestinians who do not hold an Egyptian passport cannot freely open a business, which is why they must team up with either Palestinians with Egyptian nationality, or Egyptians.

Amid the pain and loss, the support of the Egyptian people has been a beacon of hope, with Anwar revealing that "as soon as anyone finds out that you're Palestinian, and especially from Gaza, they won't let you pay a bill you owe them, even if it is a high amount".

"My favourite part of the whole experience is how amazingly supportive and loving the Egyptian people are towards us Palestinians," Ossama adds.

"We get people who don't even know what food we serve, they're just coming to support us. Some of them come from really far off districts of Cairo to meet us, to express their solidarity with us and their disgust at the occupation. Truly remarkable."

As the Israel-Hamas war rages on, with more than 43,400 Palestinians killed and a dire humanitarian crisis worsening, the resilience of the Gazan refugees in Nasr City and their seamless assimilation into Cairo’s populace is testament to the widespread support for Palestinians among Arab peoples, even if their governments have cordial ties with Israel.

Through their stories of loss, struggle and perseverance, they remind us of the immeasurable cost of war and the invaluable bonds of community that sustain us in the darkest of times.

In the streets of "Little Gaza", hope endures, even as the fate of the embattled enclave hangs in the balance.