A ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas will take place on Sunday, January 19, after an agreement was announced on Wednesday to end the 15-month Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip.
The three parts The deal includes a temporary ceasefire, the release of Israeli and Palestinian prisoners, and the return of displaced Palestinians, although many homes in Gaza have been destroyed.
So, will the Palestinians return to Gaza?
How are the people of Gaza left?
As of October 7, 2023, Israel has to be killed at least 46,707 Palestinians and 110,265 injuries – about 100 Palestinians were killed every day in the last 467 days.
Gaza is home to about 2.3 million people, half of whom are children. There has been a six percent reduction in that population since the war began.
In the last 15 months, Israeli attacks have killed two out of every 100 people in Gaza and wounded five out of 100. About 11,160 people are missing, which means that one out of every 200 Palestinians in Gaza is unaccounted for – many of whom are buried under more than 42 tons. million of garbage. And 100,000 Palestinians have left Gaza.
9 out of 10 Gazans have been displaced – and many of them have moved more than once since the war began.
But what should the refugees return to?
According to the analysis of US researchers Jamon Van Den Hoek and Corey Scher, about 60 percent of all buildings in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed.
About 90 percent of Gaza's population has been displaced, making it the center of the current conflict and, for many, their communities have been cut off, including essential services such as hospitals and schools. This does not mean the collapse of basic infrastructure such as sanitation and electrical services.
Some experts estimate that it will take nearly ten years to clear the 42 million tons of waste in Gaza.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), as of January 14, half of Gaza's 36 hospitals are partially functional, 88 percent of schools have been damaged or destroyed, 92 percent of homes have been damaged or destroyed, and 68 percent of agricultural land has been destroyed and 68 percent of all roads.
How quickly was Gaza destroyed?
Israel carried out the attacks on Gaza just hours after Hamas on October 7, 2023. Israel launched an attack on the northern Gaza Strip, targeting populated areas such as Beit Hanoon and Jabalia.
In the first month of the war, 15 percent of all homes were damaged or destroyed, while 34 percent and 31 percent of homes in North Gaza and Gaza City were damaged or destroyed by November 10.
By January 5, three months into Gaza's continuous bombing, nearly half (44 percent) of Gaza's homes had been damaged or destroyed. Most of the damage was concentrated in the north, since at that time, about 70 percent of North Gaza and Gaza City were destroyed.
Hospitals have been targeted by Israeli bombardment and ground attacks, which saw hospitals such as al-Shifa in Gaza City surrounded by the Israeli army and cut off from people in need of emergency care and treatment.
Fifteen months of airstrikes in Israel, Gaza is a shell of what it was. It is estimated that about 60 percent of all buildings have been damaged or destroyed, and the most affected government is Gaza City, where 74 percent of buildings have been destroyed.
What is left of Gaza's schools?
As of August 2024, more than 625,000 school-age children in Gaza have gone an entire year without school.
Gaza's schools are in ruins after Israeli bombing. Many of the schools that were left behind are being used as shelters for displaced families, further limiting their ability to function as schools. About 88 percent of schools, or 496 out of 564, have been damaged or destroyed. According to OCHA, at least 503 academic staff have been killed and all university buildings in Gaza have been destroyed.
Without infrastructure, workers, or supplies, Gaza's education system has collapsed, raising the question of how to rebuild and operate.
How many houses are left in Gaza?
The entire region has been devastated, leaving millions of people dependent on humanitarian aid for shelter and survival. The mass displacement and destruction of infrastructure highlight the enormous challenges Gaza faces in rebuilding, raising questions about the future of its people and the hope that anything will return to their lives.
About 92 percent (436,000) of homes were damaged or destroyed, in addition to 80 percent of commercial buildings. On top of this, nine out of 10 Palestinians in Gaza are displaced.
How are Gaza's hospitals left?
Gaza's hospitals are on the brink of collapse, they have been repeatedly attacked and run out of essential food, despite being clearly protected under humanitarian law.
This has left many of Gaza's hospitals in dire need; only half of them operate partially, including only one in the entire North Gaza governorate.
In January, health officials in Gaza he said Al-Aqsa, Nasser and European hospitals are in danger of being closed soon, after repeated bombings in Israel and closure of facilities.
Restoring Gaza's hospitals after the end of the war will require a major effort, as electricity and water supply are essential. In some cases, hospitals will need to be completely rebuilt, and access to medical supplies and specialized equipment – which Israel cut during the war – will be essential.
What is left of Gaza's agriculture?
It is estimated that 68 percent of all agricultural land has now been destroyed. Sentinel-2 satellite images have shown the loss of land, with North Gaza suffering the most damage of any district, with more than three quarters of agricultural land destroyed.
Additionally, many of the area's livestock have been killed and irrigation and other agricultural equipment destroyed, making recovery difficult. The soil must first be removed from the debris with non-explosive equipment, and then chemically treated to remove it.
Rebuilding the agricultural sector in Gaza will require financial support from international organizations.
What is left of the streets of Gaza?
According to UNOSAT data from August 2024, about 1,190km (740 miles) of roads have been damaged in Gaza while 415km (258 miles) have been severely affected and 1,440km (895 miles) have been severely affected. This is about 65 percent of all roads in the region.
