Destruction, homelessness, and an uncertain future: Since the ceasefire came into effect, more than 300,000 people have returned to northern Gaza alone – many intend to follow. They can hope for the aid that is now arriving.
In Gaza, masses of displaced people are returning to their former homes due to the ceasefire. According to Palestinian sources, more than 300,000 people have arrived in northern Gaza since Friday.
Often just useless debris
Many of the returnees reacted with shock at the extent of the destruction—numerous people have lost their homes."Gaza is completely destroyed. I have no idea where we should live or where we should go," said Mahmud al-Shandoghli.
Many began searching for useful items in the rubble of their destroyed homes. Umm Hassan Tafisch says she returned to Gaza City from the south after a year."But my house, where I lived for 30 years, is just a pile of stones and twisted metal," said the 48-year-old.
Her son's wedding photo still hangs on the remnant of a wall."I wept not only for the house, but for all the years that disappeared in a moment of bombardment." But even amidst the rubble, she feels"air in my lungs again." Despite the destruction, the return means"a new life for her, because we cannot live far from Gaza."
According to the UN, 81,000 housing units destroyed
According to the UN Office for International Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), about 83 percent of all buildings in Gaza City have been damaged, representing around 81,000 housing units.
Based on satellite images from July of this year, the UN satellite center UNOSAT identified 192,812 affected buildings throughout the Gaza Strip, representing approximately 78 percent of all buildings. UNOSAT also reported a significant decline in the condition and density of 86 percent of agricultural land and estimated that approximately 77 percent of the entire road network was damaged.
Three-digit million amount from Germany
To ensure reconstruction can begin quickly, Germany has also announced support. Federal Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan said in ARD's"Report from Berlin" that the federal government would provide hundreds of millions of euros in support.
A portion of the development aid was frozen after the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023, and is now available again, the SPD politician said. The exact amount has not yet been determined, however. Germany will also provide direct transitional aid, for example, with emergency shelters that are already in place.
Will to rebuild
Mohammed Abu Auda, 35, recounts his return to his hometown of Beit Hanoun in the north of the Gaza Strip:"Before dawn, we set out north—my wife, four children, and many other families."
The streets were full of people walking."When we reached our home, we saw only ruins. Even the trees I had planted were burned." The children asked,"Dad, where is our house?" He replied,"Here, this is our home—we will rebuild it."
Nineteen-year-old student Rawan al-Atar recounts his return to the refugee district of Jabaliya: "What I saw was different from what I had dreamed of." Where his family's house once stood, only an"empty, dusty piece of land" remained.
Despite the sadness, the return also means hope:"I haven't lost myself. I want to continue my studies in Gaza, live here, and see the city rise from the rubble."
Aid deliveries and reconstruction are underway
Around 600 trucks carrying humanitarian aid are now expected to enter the area daily. Israeli security sources reported that the free movement of aid trucks between the north and south of the Gaza Strip has also been permitted again. Repairs to critical infrastructure such as water pipes, sewage systems, and bakeries will also be possible.
The only border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, Rafah, could soon be partially reopened, according to consistent reports from Israeli and Egyptian security sources. Palestinian sources said its administration would be jointly managed by the Palestinian Authority (PA), which essentially governs only the West Bank, and an EU mission.
According to the information, pedestrians could possibly leave the Gaza Strip via Rafah as early as Tuesday. Conversely, Gaza residents stuck in Egypt could return.
According to Israeli sources, more than 1,200 people were killed in the attack on Israel by the terrorist organization Hamas and its allied fighters on October 7, 2023. Many were taken hostage and taken to the Gaza Strip.
In response to the Hamas attack, Israel launched a massive attack in the Gaza Strip. According to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health, more than 67,000 people were killed. These figures cannot be independently verified.
