1.5 million Palestinians left homeless, 60 million tons of rubble across Gaza; local source says

More than 1.5 million Palestinians have been left homeless and 60 million tons of rubble now cover the Gaza Strip following two years of devastating Israeli bombardment, according to Amjad Shawa, director of the Gaza Civil Society Network.

Shawa said that between 300,000 and 400,000 displaced residents have recently managed to return to areas in Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip since the ceasefire came into effect, but warned that they are facing dire living conditions and the near-total collapse of essential infrastructure.

“The humanitarian catastrophe caused by the aggression is unprecedented in modern history,” Shawa said, noting that more than 80 per cent of homes across the enclave have been destroyed, making reconstruction “one of the greatest challenges facing Gaza in the coming period.”

He called for urgent international intervention to launch a comprehensive rescue and recovery plan for the devastated territory.

Separately, the director of the Medical Relief Society in Gaza reported that health facilities in Gaza City are suffering from a severe shortage of critical medical supplies and equipment, hampering treatment for thousands of patients and the wounded.

The shortages include medications, IV solutions, sterilisation materials, and first aid tools, he said, adding that medical teams continue to operate under extraordinarily difficult conditions.

“If the current situation continues, what remains of Gaza’s health system is at risk of total collapse,” he warned, urging international organisations to expedite the delivery of urgent medical aid.