Palestinians continue to return to their homes following the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The joy of the Gazans who celebrated the ceasefire turned to sadness when they saw their homes destroyed. Those who returned to Rafah in the south found the city, which Israel bombed for 15 months, turned into rubble.
Rafah Mayor Ahmed al-Sufi stated that Rafah has become a "city of disaster" due to the extensive destruction caused by Israeli attacks. Al-Sufi stated that the extent of the damage exceeded the municipality’s capacity, and that almost all of the infrastructure, including water and electricity networks, roads, thousands of homes and public facilities, had been destroyed.
“More than 42 million tons of debris created”
According to UN data, more than 60 percent of buildings in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed since the start of the attacks on October 7, 2023, while 65 percent of the roads have become unusable. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) report stated that “More than 42 million tons of debris, including human remains and unexploded ordnance, asbestos and other hazardous materials, have been created in the Gaza Strip.”
It was stated that clearing the rubble could take 21 years and cost up to $1.2 billion.
