DaysofPal – In the wake of Israel’s withdrawal from several areas and the enforcement of a ceasefire, bulldozers have begun clearing the mountains of debris left after two years of relentless bombardment. Crews from Gaza Municipality have started reopening roads to allow displaced residents to reach their neighborhoods, even as they face staggering challenges.
Ali al-Attar, a bulldozer operator working amid the ruins, described the scale of destruction as “truly beyond comprehension.”
“Just opening the roads alone will take at least a month, just so people can access the area,” he said.
“The bulldozers are in poor condition. The one I’m using is leaking oil and needs major repairs. To be honest, we need 20 times the number of bulldozers we have got.”
Authorities in Gaza say the latest aerial imagery from the United Nations shows that some 41,000 housing units have been destroyed in Gaza City alone, generating over 8 million cubic meters (283 million cubic feet) of rubble.
The Government Information Office confirmed that more than 90% of civilian infrastructure and 300,000 housing units have been obliterated across the Strip.
According to Amjad Shawa, head of the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network, 1.5 million residents have lost their homes. “The level of devastation is beyond anything Gaza has seen before,” he said, calling for urgent international support to meet basic humanitarian needs and begin rebuilding.
Gaza Municipality spokesperson Asem al-Nabih said that more than 85% of the municipality’s heavy and medium-sized vehicles were destroyed during the offensive, severely slowing cleanup operations.
“Municipal teams have begun reopening some main streets to facilitate the movement of citizens and aid,” he said. “Our priorities now are securing water, opening roads, collecting waste, and addressing sanitation problems that worsened during the war.”
Mayor Yahya al-Sarraj described the task ahead as “a complex process in the absence of advanced machinery and equipment,” adding that “there is not a street in Gaza that has not been damaged by the massive destruction caused by the occupation.”
Al-Sarraj said the municipality has proposed a three-phase reconstruction plan for Gaza’s municipalities, discussed with international institutions and organizations. “Providing water, opening streets, collecting waste, and treating sewage are urgent priorities,” he said. “We are operating under enormous pressure, amid widespread destruction, and lacking the necessary capabilities.”
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