Analysts: Gaza’s Reconstruction Collides with the Wall of Occupation
The massive destruction
caused by the occupation’s aggression on the Gaza Strip — which lasted for more
than two years — left over one and a half million Palestinians without homes.
Twenty-two towns and cities in the Strip were reduced to piles of rubble after
their residents were displaced. These include: Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, Beit
Lahia Project, Al-Zahra City, Jabalia, Jabalia Town, Jabalia Camp, Jabalia
Al-Nazla, half of Gaza City, the entire city of Rafah, Al-Zannah, Abasan
Al-Kabira and Al-Saghira, Khuza’a, Bani Suhaila, Al-Fukhari, Al-Qarara,
Al-Mughraqa, half of Al-Bureij and Al-Maghazi Camps, and eastern Deir al-Balah.
Not to mention the
destruction of most schools, universities, infrastructure, health centers, and
roads.
The Gaza Municipality
documented that, during the aggression, the Zionist occupation destroyed more
than 800 kilometers of the city’s main and secondary roads.
Preliminary Palestinian
estimates indicate that the direct cost of reconstructing the Gaza Strip will
exceed 70 billion US dollars — not including the losses sustained by the
economic and productive sectors, which were completely destroyed — in addition
to the total devastation of the agricultural and environmental sectors.
Gaza Municipality: The Zionist
Occupation Destroyed More Than 800 Kilometers of the City’s Roads
In light of these staggering
figures and devastating losses, the toll of war does not end here. The people
of Gaza now face a new kind of battle one that may last for many years as the
“Israeli” occupation maintains control over the border crossings, and thus over
the reconstruction process and its essential supplies. Palestinians have
endured bitter experiences with the occupation during previous wars, as it repeatedly
blocked the entry of construction materials and cement into the Strip under the
pretext of “dual-use,” claiming that the resistance might utilize them.
Obstacles and Concerns Surrounding the Reconstruction File
The Palestinian writer and
political analyst Akram Atallah affirmed that the “Israeli” occupation will
obstruct the reconstruction process in Gaza for many years for several reasons
— foremost among them linking the reconstruction file to the fate and presence
of the Palestinian resistance in Gaza, and pressuring Palestinians to emigrate
under the pretext of seeking shelter, after years of waiting in vain for the
rebuilding of their homes, schools, and hospitals.
Atallah pointed out that the
policy of total destruction of Gaza’s cities and refugee camps aims to make
Gaza an unlivable environment, pushing its residents to seek refuge in other
countries. He also noted that many donor countries will refrain from
contributing financially to the reconstruction due to various political
considerations.
He emphasized that the
estimated 70 billion dollars required for reconstruction is an enormous sum,
especially in light of previous experiences. During past wars, UNRWA failed to
secure even half a billion dollars to rebuild 12,000 housing units that donor
countries had pledged to fund. Preliminary statistics now indicate that the
Zionist occupation has destroyed around 400,000 housing units and facilities in
this latest aggression.
He stressed that rebuilding
the Gaza Strip will require full cooperation and concerted efforts on Arab,
Islamic, and international levels. Without collective support and assistance to
the people of Gaza, the reconstruction process will not take place.
Atallah: The “Israeli” Occupation Will
Obstruct Gaza’s Reconstruction for Many Years
A state of fear and anxiety
prevails among Palestinians in the Gaza Strip over the possibility that their
homes and facilities may never be rebuilt — especially given their past
experiences with the occupation and its repeated threats that reconstruction
materials will only be allowed in under strict supervision.
Mohammed Abu Ouda, whose home
and entire city of Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza were destroyed by the Zionist
occupation, said that waiting for reconstruction will be exhausting and
difficult — mainly because the occupation has leveled entire cities, and
rebuilding them will take many years, even if the necessary construction
materials become available.
Abu Ouda added that
rebuilding a single apartment even if construction materials were available would
cost more than $50,000. He was interrupted by Shadi Hamad, a resident of the
same city, who said that reconstructing homes, especially those near the border
areas, would be nearly impossible given that the “Israeli” occupation has
established a buffer zone more than one kilometer deep.
This means, as citizen Hamad
explained, that — for example — more than 30% of the homes of Beit Hanoun
residents will not be rebuilt. The same applies to all northern and eastern
areas adjacent to the buffer zone, should the Zionist occupation withdraw from
the Gaza Strip under a ceasefire agreement.
Reshaping the Demographics of Gaza’s Refugee Camps
Meanwhile, environmental and
water researcher Tawfiq Jamman told Al-Mujtama that a major obstacle
could hinder the reconstruction process if it begins: the massive amount of
rubble from cities and villages completely destroyed in the Gaza Strip. In
addition, more than 5,000 rockets and bombs fired by the Zionist occupation
during the aggression remain unexploded, scattered among the rubble and open
areas, posing a serious threat to residents and the teams tasked with clearing
the debris.
Jamman: Gaza’s Demographics Will Be
Reshaped in Five Completely Destroyed Camps
Jamman pointed out that, from
an engineering and logistical perspective, clearing the rubble will take at
least five years. This means that laying the first building blocks for home
reconstruction will span several years, accompanied by ongoing hardship for
over one and a half million Palestinians who will remain in tents for an
extended period.
He explained that around 80%
of the infrastructure has been destroyed after the Zionist occupation deliberately
targeted all the essentials of life in its plans plans
that the Palestinians thwarted with their blood and resilience, despite the
horrific massacres over the past two years that left approximately 70,000
martyrs and hundreds of thousands of injured.
The environmental researcher
confirmed that Gaza’s demographics will be reshaped through the reconstruction
process, particularly in five completely destroyed camps: Jabalia, Al-Shati,
Rafah, Khan Younis, and Yibna Camp. Vertical construction will be adopted
instead of horizontal in these densely built areas, fundamentally altering the
urban patterns that existed before the Zionist aggression and the destruction
of these camps.
Palestinians are eagerly
awaiting the removal of all obstacles that stand in the way of rebuilding their
homes.
________________________________________
You may also
like:
What are the Zionist obstacles to the reconstruction of Gaza?
Rebuilding Gaza: 7 Facts from the Perspective of Steadfast Resistance
Six Zionist Objectives Behind the Destruction of Towers in Gaza
