Remnants of war become art in Gaza

GAZA CITY (AFP) -- Four flower vases adorn the living room of Hossam al-Dabbus's home. Initially inconspicuous, a closer look reveals they are made of Israeli tank shells collected by war-scarred Gazans.

The refugee camp dweller has picked through the rubble of the coastal strip to turn the remains of a conflict that killed nearly 2,200 Palestinians and more than 70 Israelis, into objects of art.

"I wanted to keep a souvenir, but my relatives and neighbors felt uncomfortable with them around, so I had the idea of painting them to make them beautiful," the 33-year-old told AFP.

In his hands, the twisted remnants have taken on a new life -- shell casings covered in golden motifs, tail fins turned into the feet of a vase, the dull metal disappearing under an explosion of painted flowers.

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