Gaza residential blocks pledged by Egypt destroyed by Israeli army

The Israeli army has completely destroyed three residential towers and caused partial damage to others which Egypt pledged to construct in 2021 in the northern Gaza Strip. Video images shared on social media on Sunday revealed the extent of the massive damage to residential areas and infrastructure caused by Israel in the area.

Egypt pledged a $500 million grant for reconstruction in 2021 after Israel’s military offensive in that area. The grant was planned to cover the construction of housing units, the development of infrastructure and the restoration of parts of Al-Rashid Street in the northern Gaza Strip, as well as the removal of the rubble of buildings destroyed by Israel. The foundation stone for Dar Misr — the House of Egypt — was laid in May 2021 by the director of the Egyptian Intelligence Service, Abbas Kamel.

READ: Biden puts pressure on Netanyahu to accept long truce in exchange for Saudi normalisation

According to eyewitnesses, the Israeli army destroyed the Egyptian-funded buildings that were still under construction during its incursion into Jabaliya and the American School area in Beit Lahiya. They pointed out that dozens of residential buildings were completely destroyed, in addition to widespread destruction in streets and infrastructure, as a result of Israel’s land, sea and air bombardment.

On Thursday, the Israeli army withdrew from the north-west Gaza governorates and the northern area for the first time since the start of its ground operation on 27 October.

As of Sunday, Israel has killed 27,365 Palestinians in Gaza and wounded 66,630 others, most of them children and women. More than two million Palestinians are suffering from hunger and struggle to survive without clean water and shelter, according to local reports and the UN.

READ: Hamas redeploys police to Gaza City after Israel withdraws