'We will rebuild': Gazans undeterred by warning reconstruction could take 15 years

Civilians have criticised a UN report that suggests it will take more than a decade to clear 40 million tonnes of rubble

An aerial view of the destruction in Khan Younis in southern Gaza in April. Anadolu

Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza

Gazans are determined to rebuild their homes as quickly as possible after the war ends despite a warning from the UN that it could take 15 years to remove 40 million tonnes of rubble created by Israel’s intense bombardment of the enclave.

This week the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees estimated that clearing the Gaza Strip of the rubble caused by Israel’s latest war will take 15 years and will cost $500-600 million, based on a UN Environment Programme report.

The report suggests that some of the debris is contaminated with asbestos, a toxic mineral that causes lung diseases and cancer. Human remains are believed to be under much of the debris.

However, civilians told The National they are optimistic they can rebuild their homes quicker with the collective help of locals and the international community, and questioned the motivations behind the UN report.

Amjad Al Shoubaki, an architect from Gaza city, told The National that reconstruction could be done quicker than the report estimated if enough funding is provided, and said the report could discourage Gazans unnecessarily.

“We can refute these claims using the same data provided in the report, if one hundred lorries take 15 years, then one thousand lorries would take a year and a half, and three thousand lorries would take only six months.” Mr Al Shoubaki said.

“These figures are based on available productivity rates, which can be doubled using larger equipment and resources.”

The architect said the “rubble removal process can take only six months if an adequate number of equipment and resources are used”.

“The basic infrastructure can be developed, allowing for the rebuilding of buildings and paving of roads within two to three years,” he said.

However, this requires “concerted efforts and the necessary funds to ensure the reconstruction process is possible, swift, and efficient.”

People search through the rubble of destroyed buildings near the collapsed minaret of a mosque following Israeli bombardment in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip. AFP

Sobhi Daloul, a 54-year-old man from the Al Zaytoun neighbourhood in Gaza city, said nine members of his family had lost their homes during the war.

“Give me the tools and resources, and I'll rebuild it in two months after the war ends. We are people who love life, and in a few months, we'll rebuild,” Mr Daloul told The National.

“We are the people of this land and we will quickly rebuild it with everything we have,” he said.

Mohammed Al-Najjar, 28, lives in the north of Gaza city, said the report is an "exaggeration" of the events on the ground.

“What is happening is an exaggeration of the events in Gaza to reinforce the idea that it is permanently uninhabitable. This is illogical because if the world wanted to rebuild Gaza, it could be done in less than three years,” the former schoolteacher, told The National.

“The idea of 15 years is meant to drive people out of Gaza and push them to consider other alternatives, especially migration, to empty Gaza of its residents and completely reoccupy it by Israel,” he said.

“We live in an age of development and technology, which can shorten the time required for any construction process and completion.”

The city of Khan Younis has been badly damaged, along with all of Gaza's other main settlements. EPA

Suhail Ghabin, 36, lost his home during the war in Gaza and is living in a school in Gaza city as a displaced person.

Mr Ghabin started thinking about migrating to save his five-member family from potential death.

“What does 15 years just to remove the rubble mean? Does it mean we need 100 years to rebuild? It means that even my grandchildren and their children won't be able to live a decent life in this country,” he told The National.

“I don't know what the world wants from us. Instead of coming up with plans to rebuild as quickly as possible, they come out with reports saying 15 years and who knows what else,” he said.