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More than 1.5 million Palestinians have been left homeless, and at least 60 million tonnes of debris now blanket the Gaza Strip after a year of devastating conflict, according to local reports cited by humanitarian agencies.
The scale of destruction, described by aid workers as “almost apocalyptic,” has rendered much of the territory uninhabitable. Residential blocks, hospitals, schools, and mosques have been levelled, leaving families sheltering in makeshift tents or the ruins of their homes.
A local engineering source told Middle East Monitor that entire neighbourhoods in Gaza City, Khan Younis and Rafah had been “flattened beyond recognition,” estimating that it could take decades to clear and rebuild. “The amount of rubble is staggering — it’s as if the entire city has collapsed into itself,” the source said.
The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has described the displacement as one of the worst humanitarian crises in modern history. With winter approaching, aid groups warn that hundreds of thousands of families are at risk of disease, hunger and exposure.
Satellite images released by the UN show vast areas reduced to grey fields of concrete and dust. Roads and sewage systems have been destroyed, while power and water networks remain largely inoperative. The World Health Organisation says less than a quarter of Gaza’s hospitals are functioning, many relying on generators and volunteer medics.
The ongoing ceasefire has allowed a limited return of displaced residents to northern areas, but conditions remain dire. “People are coming back to nothing — no houses, no water, no schools,” said a local aid worker. “It’s a ghost city, filled with memories and loss.”
Israel’s months-long military campaign, launched after Hamas’ attack in October 2023, has drawn widespread international criticism over the scale of civilian suffering. Palestinian officials say more than 67,000 people have been killed, the majority of them women and children.
Reconstruction, experts warn, will be an immense challenge. The estimated 60 million tonnes of rubble — more than 200 times the debris left after the 2020 Beirut explosion — will require heavy equipment and safe access for removal, both currently restricted by the blockade.
Humanitarian convoys have begun delivering small amounts of fuel, medical supplies and food, but UN officials stress that rebuilding Gaza will require not just materials but also political stability. “Without a lasting peace and full access, reconstruction is impossible,” one UN engineer said.
Despite the devastation, residents have begun small acts of recovery — sweeping streets, salvaging bricks, and planting makeshift gardens amid the ruins. “We are still here,” said one displaced father. “Our homes are gone, but our hope is not.”
