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.
Donald Trump said he is “in no hurry” to reach a deal with Iran, insisting the U.S. is slowly getting what it wants. He warned military action rem...
Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela has secured a fourth successive election victory for his Labour Party, extending its hold on power, though with ...
Nicaraguan indigenous leader and former lawmaker Brooklyn Rivera has died in state custody at the age of 73, according to local media reports citing h...
At least 46 people, including six children, have been killed in a powerful explosion at a building used to store mining explosives in northeastern Mya...
Thousands of residents blocked Austria’s Brenner motorway on Saturday (30 May), shutting down a major north-south transport route through the Alps i...
The United Nations (UN) added Israel and Russia to a blacklist of parties suspected of committing conflict-related sexual violence on Friday (29 May). The move prompted Israel to announce it would sever ties with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
The U.N. human rights office said Israeli forces may be committing unlawful killings near the military armistice line in Gaza, after data showed that roughly a third of verified Palestinian deaths since the October truce occurred close to the boundary area.
Hamas has confirmed the death of its armed wing chief, Mohammad Odeh, who was killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza City, according to the Israeli military and Gaza health officials.
Australian activists released from Israeli custody after being detained on a flotilla trying to deliver aid to Gaza have claimed they were subject to abuse and beatings, which left some hospitalised. Israel’s prison service denies the allegations.
U.S. rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye, performed to a crowd of 118,000 people in Istanbul on Saturday night, marking his first concert in Europe in more than a decade, despite being barred from performing in several countries over past antisemitic remarks.
Iranian-made Yassin missiles were spotted mounted on Armenian Air Force fighter aircraft during Armenia's latest military parade on Thursday (28 May), drawing attention from defence observers and regional analysts.
The Philippines remains under a "severe threat" from China despite recent efforts by Washington and Beijing to ease tensions, Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Saturday (30 May).
Thai rescuers say five people have been pulled alive from a flooded cave in remote Laos, where seven villagers became trapped after heavy rain cut off access underground.
Russia has recalled its ambassador to Armenia for consultations, citing Yerevan's growing rapprochement with the European Union. The move is seen as the latest sign of deteriorating relations between the longtime allies ahead of Armenia's parliamentary election on 7 June.
Donald Trump said he is “in no hurry” to reach a deal with Iran, insisting the U.S. is slowly getting what it wants. He warned military action remains an option if talks fail. Meanwhile, U.S. forces said they fired a missile at a vessel trying to breach Washington’s blockade of Iran.
On 28 May, the EU's foreign policy chief called for Russian troops to leave Georgia and Moldova. By the end of the same day, both Tbilisi and Moscow had dismissed her. The symmetry tells a story of its own.
Iranian-made Yassin missiles were spotted mounted on Armenian Air Force fighter aircraft during Armenia's latest military parade on Thursday (28 May), drawing attention from defence observers and regional analysts.
Russia has recalled its ambassador to Armenia for consultations, citing Yerevan's growing rapprochement with the European Union. The move is seen as the latest sign of deteriorating relations between the longtime allies ahead of Armenia's parliamentary election on 7 June.
At least 22 people have been killed - including children - and 35 others injured after a truck carrying Afghan returnees overturned in eastern Afghanistan, local officials say.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment