GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — New drone footage shows debris in Gaza Strip Gaza After two years of war, ceasefire established Day 2.
Footage taken Saturday by The Associated Press shows some buildings still standing in the Tal al-Hawa district. The rest seem to have been wiped out. The pile of debris rises well above the top of the vehicle. The road is covered in concrete dust.
The video barely shows anyone going out. Tens of thousands of Palestinians walk and drive through ruins as they make their way to what remains of their homelands. Gaza City was the center of Israeli military attacks in the weeks before the ceasefire.
Some residents who have returned told The Associated Press they were shocked by the new level of ruin.
“We didn’t expect this much destruction,” said Farah Saleh, one of the victims.
“Is this what is left in Gaza? We will not return to our homes or shelter for our children. And winter is approaching,” said another, Shreen Abul Yakni.
Their clothes and belongings were a rare color in the devastated landscape.
The cost of the devastation will be better understood if the ceasefire holds. Already, the United Nations Satellite Center estimates that by the end of September, 83% of all buildings in Gaza City had been destroyed or suffered some damage. By July, approximately 78% of buildings across Gaza had been destroyed or damaged.
New drone footage helps highlight the scale of the reconstruction. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, approximately 61 million tons of debris will need to be removed across the territory, an amount equivalent to 25 Eiffel Towers.
Much of Gaza’s vegetation has also withered. UNEP announced that 97% of tree crops, 95% of shrubs and 82% of annual crops have disappeared.
The World Bank estimates that more than $50 billion will be needed to rebuild Gaza. The region’s more than 2 million Palestinians want to start now, one blanket or beam at a time.
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