Gazans frustrated by lack of aid and slow pace of recovery in north

Palestinians returning to their homes struggle to find places to sleep amid destruction and debris

Gazans search through the rubble of their home in Jabalia, northern Gaza. It is estimated that more than 170,000 houses have been destroyed by Israel's bombardment of the enclave. Reuters

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Residents of northern Gaza are increasingly frustrated with the lack of aid flowing to the area and the slow pace of reconstruction, two weeks after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect.

Last week, more than 500,000 Gazans walked, drove or rode donkeys back to the north of the enclave. They found destruction in areas including Jabalia, Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun, with some telling The National they had struggled to find a place to pitch a tent.

“Hamas should be setting up tents for people who have no place to live and are sleeping in the streets,” said Adham Abu Zaida, 39, who travelled from southern Gaza to Jabalia camp. His family of seven spent three nights on the streets.

“Women, children, the elderly and young people are all sleeping in the streets without the bare necessities of life,” he added.

The ceasefire pauses 15 months of war sparked by a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people and led to 240 being taken hostage. More than 47,400 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's war on the enclave.

The UN estimates that five to 10 per cent of all ammunition dropped on Gaza has failed to detonate, putting more lives in danger as aid workers and civilians attempt to rebuild.

The UN Mine Action Service, which handles unexploded ordnance, said that since the ceasefire took hold, humanitarian convoys and civilians have reported finding large bombs, mortars and rifle grenades.

Palestinians travel along Al Rashid Road, in Gaza city, passing buildings destroyed by Israel's war on the enclave. EPA

The danger and destruction was too much for some. Yahya Muhareb, 32, returned to Beit Lahia to find a place for his family of four to stay. “Unfortunately, I decided to return to the south and continue living in a tent there because there is no place in the north to pitch a tent after all our homes were destroyed and turned into rubble,” he told The National.

“There have been no efforts to provide relief or shelter for people and no progress in removing debris or opening roads, especially in the devastated northern Gaza Strip.”

Ismael Thawabta, general director of Gaza's Government Media Office, said the enclave's residents had the right to voice their frustrations. He blamed the implementation of the terms of the ceasefire for the slow delivery of aid.

“The humanitarian protocol stipulated the entry of aid, tents, caravans and materials supporting reconstruction efforts,” Mr Thawabta told The National. “Unfortunately, these essential supplies have been obstructed by the occupation and we face severe difficulties in getting them into Gaza.”

Israel prevents types of aid described as “dual use" from entering the enclave because of concerns the supplies could be used by militants in attacks. Desalination and water-collection devices, storage units, tools, tent kits, ovens, water-resistant clothing and equipment for shelter construction all require “pre-approval” before entering Gaza, according to a list sent to humanitarian groups by Cogat, the Israeli agency responsible for co-ordinating Palestinian civilian affairs, and shared with the AP. Large tents, sleeping bags, portable toilets, heating pads and vaccines can enter without Israeli approval.

Aid lorries wait to pass through the Rafah crossing into Gaza. Palestinians face a shortage of supplies in the enclave. Getty Images

Gaza's Government Media Office reported that the direct losses from the war have exceeded $50 billion across various sectors. In the housing sector, 450,000 units have been damaged, with 170,000 completely destroyed and 80,000 severely damaged. Damages in the housing sector have reached an estimated $25 billion.

Mr Thawabta said more than 6,000 aid lorries have entered Gaza since the ceasefire began, including 121 carrying diesel, 80 carrying gas and about 900 bearing food items including snacks and drinks. But he expressed concern over a decline in the number of lorries entering the enclave, with 339 crossing into Gaza on one day last week.

“The humanitarian protocol allows for over 600 trucks to enter daily, yet the reality is that the trucks entering Gaza include both aid and commercial goods trucks," he explained.

He also highlighted a significant struggle to bring in construction materials, particularly cement, which Gazans need to begin rebuilding their homes. “The occupation is preventing the entry of construction materials because it knows citizens will use them to rebuild their homes again,” Mr Thawabta said.

Mohammed Al Jarro, 56, a merchant from Gaza city, said food items comprised the majority of aid entering the enclave. “From the first day of the truce, we were told that only food goods would be co-ordinated for entry, and there were no arrangements for fuel, solar systems, or construction materials," he added. "Only items related to food and drink have been allowed."

He is among the Gazan merchants trying to ensure solar energy systems, construction materials and tents reach displaced people. “These items were supposed to be part of the first phase of the agreement,” he said. “We hope these efforts succeed and that merchants can bring in the necessary supplies for real and effective relief to begin.”