
With the fighting in Gaza temporarily halted due to a ceasefire linked to a hostage release deal, residents of the territory are urgently requesting billions of dollars in emergency assistance. The immediate needs include heavy machinery to remove debris and tents and trailers to shelter those left homeless after 15 months of conflict between Israel and Hamas.
An official from the Palestinian Authority, which operates in the West Bank, estimated that at least $6.5 billion would be required just to provide temporary housing for Gaza’s population of over two million, even before long-term rebuilding efforts could begin.
Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, projected last week that full reconstruction in Gaza might take 10 to 15 years. However, in the interim, the displaced population will need immediate shelter solutions.
Hamas, which has reestablished its control over Gaza since the ceasefire took effect, outlined the region’s critical requirements: 200,000 tents and 60,000 trailers. Additionally, the group emphasized the urgent need for heavy equipment to remove the millions of tons of debris caused by the war and to recover the estimated 10,000 bodies still buried beneath the rubble.
Antoine Renard, an official with the World Food Programme, reported that food imports into Gaza had surged to two or three times the monthly levels seen before the ceasefire. However, he noted that restrictions remained on importing essential medical and shelter supplies, which Israel classifies as potentially having “dual use” for both civilian and military purposes.
“This is a reminder to you that many of the items that are dual use need also to enter into Gaza like medical and also tents,” Renard told reporters during a briefing in Geneva.
Over half a million people who fled northern Gaza have begun returning to their homes, though many found only devastation. Entire neighborhoods have been reduced to piles of rubble, leaving residents with nowhere to live.
“I came back to Gaza City to find my house in ruins, with no place else to stay, no tents, no caravans, and not even a place we can rent as most of the city was destroyed,” said Imad Turk, a businessman whose home and wood factory were destroyed by Israeli airstrikes. “We don’t know when the reconstruction will begin, we don’t know if the truce will hold, we don’t want to be forgotten by the world,” he said, speaking to Reuters through a chat application.
Countries including Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, Turkey, and China have offered to provide assistance, but Palestinian officials have accused Israel of causing delays in the aid process.
{Matzav.com Israel}
All 57 Muslim countries which support Hamas, plus South Africa, Cuba, Venezuela, Russia, North Korea, China, and Ireland are more than welcome to donate their citizens’ (or rulers’) money to rehabilitate Gaza.
100% !!
Why should they? They did not cause the destruction of Gaza. So what if they supported Hamas. Israel helped fund Hamas with the help of Qatar and the US. Our taxpayer money funded this destruction.
Tell them to come to LA to pick up a few million tents, our homeless don’t need them anymore, because they get “aid” from the US, not like those meanie Israelis…
if hamas is their government, arent they the ones responsible for helping them? cant believe the opposing side of the war is supposed to supply the enemy with aid- is there even one other time in history this was demanded of any other country? unbelievable
Great comments.
Their Muslim brethren in UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain are filthy rich. Why can they not help them?
Or their handlers in Iran?
I saw videos of the humanitarian aid, which consisted of thousands of cigarettes, plus good-quality fresh fruits, and more.
Perhaps the humanitarian aid could consist of cigarettes only?
Send them to El Salvador who are experts in “housing” terrorists.
Why is Trump afraid to threaten the “king” of Jordan?