Despite the calm accompanying the implementation of the agreement phases, humanitarian conditions remain extremely difficult. The Israeli war over two years destroyed 90% of the sector’s infrastructure, 300,000 housing units completely, and 200,000 partially. It took 25 out of 38 hospitals out of service, affected 95% of schools, and 85% of water facilities went out of operation.
Umm al-Abd told Sputnik, “We used to live here in Gaza City, which is a vital area. Many people were here, but due to the war, we were displaced to the south. When we returned, we found the area completely destroyed.” Umm al-Abd walked 15 kilometers from Khan Yunis in the southern sector to Gaza City in the north on foot. This was the case for many displaced people who returned on foot, carrying their children and few belongings.
She described the journey as “exhausting and tiring,” but was shocked to see her home completely destroyed and the area devastated. The challenges of survival began amidst the massive destruction of infrastructure, such as water networks, sewage systems, and health facilities. Umm al-Abd added, “The occupation destroyed everything, and we don’t know where to stay or go. I lost my son due to the bombing and have been searching for him for some time without success. My husband is a prisoner, I have seven children, and I’ve been displaced more than once. As you can see, there are no basic life necessities. We hoped to find remnants of life we left here, but we found rubble of memories that killed us while we are alive.”
Palestinians are trying to gradually restore life to the streets of Gaza City despite the significant destruction left by the war. The Gaza municipality has started removing debris to open roads for citizens and enable them to enter residential neighborhoods. Bulldozers are working in several areas inside Gaza.
Displaced person Maher Naeem told Sputnik, “I returned to Gaza City from the central governorate and found approximately 90% of Gaza destroyed, with the remaining standing structures severely damaged. I found the three apartments I own completely destroyed, and I see no joy in people’s faces.” Naeem continued, “The whole area is destroyed, and there is no place to live or services, but I will stay with my family next to the destroyed homes in the tent that has accompanied us since the beginning of the war. Even if we stay here, we are still under the effects of the war, not knowing when it will end.”
Municipalities are making great efforts, currently focusing on securing water, opening streets, addressing sewage problems, and removing waste. The civil defense apparatus, with its remaining equipment, is making efforts to recover the bodies of the dead from the rubble. Since the end of the war, they have succeeded in retrieving approximately 150 bodies from under the debris.
The government media office revealed the preliminary direct losses for 15 vital sectors, amounting to $70 billion. These initial losses include about $5 billion for the health sector, $4 billion for the education sector, and $25 billion for the housing sector. Other material losses were distributed across the industrial, agricultural, media, entertainment, religious, domestic, and communication and internet sectors.
The government office indicated that more than 94% of the agricultural land in the sector was destroyed, along with over 700,000 linear meters of water networks and the same amount of sewage networks. More than 3 million linear meters of road networks were destroyed.
The Israeli army had ordered its forces to retreat under the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, reached through U.S. mediation, to end the war that claimed tens of thousands of lives and turned most of the Gaza Strip into rubble. The ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip is based on a plan proposing the cessation of war, gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army, mutual release of prisoners, immediate entry of aid into the sector, and disarmament of the Hamas movement. The ceasefire was agreed upon after indirect negotiations between the two parties lasted for four days in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
