Palestinians walk in a devastated neighbourhood due to Israeli strikes in the southern Gaza Strip's city of Khan Yunis on December 2, 2024. Photo by Bashar TALEB / AFP.
Gaza: With repeated incursions by Israeli forces into Gaza's cities and refugee camps, the devastation to Palestinian homes continues to mount.
After each withdrawal, residents are left with no choice but to return to what's left of their homes or live in tents, as alternative housing is scarce and shelters are overcrowded.
Mohammad Alayan, who fled his home in Gaza's Al Shujaiya neighborhood due to intense bombardment, has now returned, unable to find a suitable alternative for his family of eight, half of whom are children.
When he returned to his two-story home, it was entirely destroyed except for a partially damaged room on the ground floor, Alayan told Qatar News Agency (QNA).
He added that he had to patch up the damaged areas with plastic sheets, and moved in there with his family, even though the building could collapse on them at any moment.
He described the harsh conditions they face, especially during winter, as rain seeps into their makeshift shelter at night.
Despite the constant fear of being buried under the rubble, Alayan said this was still better than living on the streets or in a tattered tent that offers no protection from the cold and rain.
Mohammad Al Midna, Director of Public Relations and Media at Civil Defense, warned of the imminent danger posed by structurally compromised buildings, which are at risk of collapse due to severe damage from the ongoing bombardment.
He told QNA that there's an urgent need to demolish these unsafe buildings.
However, this requires equipment and an end to the aggression so they can implement a comprehensive plan.
Above all, they need immediate housing solutions for the displaced who risk their lives by staying in these unstable structures because they have nowhere else to go.
He urged residents to exercise caution when returning to their homes and to avoid living in severely damaged buildings.
The risk is tragically evident.
Recently, five members of one family were killed when a five-story building, previously hit by Israeli airstrikes, collapsed in Gaza's Sheikh Radwan neighborhood.
Civil defense crews have yet to retrieve their bodies due to a lack of resources and ongoing attacks on emergency responders.
Official reports reveal that since Oct. 7, 2023, Israeli forces have dropped 87,000 tons of explosives on Gaza, resulting in the total destruction of over 160,000 homes, partial damage to 193,000, and rendering 83,000 units uninhabitable.
