The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has warned that clearing the vast of rubble in Gaza could take up to seven years at the current pace, as the overwhelming majority of residents continue to live in what it describes as extremely dangerous conditions.
Speaking during a virtual briefing from Jerusalem following a recent visit to the Gaza Strip, UNDP chief Alexander De Croo said the humanitarian situation was the worst he had witnessed in his years of development work.
“This is the worst living conditions that I have ever seen, extremely painful conditions to live in,” De Croo said, adding that “90% of the people of Gaza today live in the middle of that rubble, which is extremely dangerous.”
He said UNDP’s recovery efforts are focused on three main priorities, beginning with debris and solid waste removal.
“Rubble removal, we have done approximately 0.5% of the total,” De Croo said. “At the current pace, it will take us seven years to remove all the rubble.”
He stressed that greater authority and capacity would be needed to accelerate debris clearance and recycling operations.
Temporary housing is the second priority, he said, noting that the vast majority of residents are living in makeshift shelters.
“90% of the population lives in what you could not even call tents. I mean, this is very, very rudimentary tents,” De Croo said.
The UNDP has so far built 500 recovery housing units and has 4,000 ready, but the needs far exceed available supply. Between 200,000 and 300,000 units are required to provide people with better living conditions, he added.
The third focus area is reviving Gaza’s private sector, much of which has been in hibernation. Recovery programmes include limited investment initiatives and cash-for-work schemes aimed at helping businesses resume operations.
To expand assistance, De Croo said the UNDP’s “one big ask to the Israeli authorities” was for greater access to allow the entry of materials, housing units and support for private enterprises. He added that Israel’s alleged security concerns should not prevent increased access for UNDP, other UN agencies and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
A U.S.-backed ceasefire has been in place in Gaza since 10 October, halting Israel’s two-year war, which has killed more than 72,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured more than 171,000 others since October 2023 according to Gaza's health ministry.
Authorities also said Israeli forces have committed hundreds of violations since the ceasefire took effect, through shelling and gunfire, killing 603 Palestinians and injuring 1,618 others.
Israeli authorities said that at least 4 soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire began last October.
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Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 20 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Israeli strikes and gunfire killed at least nine people in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, including a child and an Al Jazeera journalist, Palestinian health officials said.
Iran and the United States have signed a memorandum outlining a proposed 60-day ceasefire and a roadmap for negotiations on sanctions, nuclear restrictions and regional security issues.
At least thirteen people have died and sixty-six have been injured following an explosion at Qatar's main liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing hub at Ras Laffan, authorities said on Sunday.
Cape Verde’s remarkable FIFA World Cup debut continued on Sunday (21 June) as the tournament newcomers held Uruguay to a 2-2 draw. Goalkeeper Vozinha was once again at the centre of the story, this time with his mother watching from the stands.
Tehran has agreed to let the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommence inspections of its nuclear programme, U.S. Vice President JD Vance has said. The U.S. and Iran have settled on a 60-day roadmap aimed at reaching a final deal, according to mediators Qatar and Pakistan.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed on a landmark internet deal that will allow traffic to pass through Azerbaijani networks.It's the latest deal to highlight the ongoing peace process between the two countries.
Three students have been killed and at least seven injured after two of their peers opened fire in a high school in the Philippines, police said. A spokesperson for the police said the two suspects, aged 14 and 15, had been arrested and a police pistol confiscated. Bullying is a possible motive.
For Pakistan, helping create space for dialogue between the U.S. and Iran was never solely about diplomacy. It was about avoiding the economic and security consequences of a wider regional conflict.
The visit also took on symbolic importance as the two leaders travelled to the liberated cities of Shusha and Fuzuli, areas Azerbaijan regained after decades of occupation.
Iran's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva said talks between the United States and Iran had made "good progress", with both sides set to establish working groups in the coming days to discuss sanctions relief and issues related to Iran's nuclear programme.
A United Nations official has warned that efforts to stabilise southern Syria remain stalled nearly a year after deadly sectarian violence in Sweida province, with tensions between Druze factions, Bedouin communities and state authorities still unresolved.
Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks in New Delhi on the sidelines of the BRICS security advisers’ meeting, in the latest sign of gradual efforts to stabilise ties after years of border tensions.
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