Reconstruction begins in Gaza with work to rebuild home

An estimated 18,000 homes throughout Gaza were destroyed during the 50-day war, which the United Nations says displaced 110,000 people.

Meanwhile, in a separate development on Wednesday, Israeli forces destroyed 450 olive trees, flattened land, and demolished a Roman-era water well in the village of Beit Ula, located northwest of the city of al-Khalil (Hebron), according to locals.

Israeli naval forces shot and injured a Palestinian fisherman with live rounds off the coast of the Gaza Strip on Tuesday morning, witnesses said.

“We will see a lot of movement on the reconstruction front in the coming days”.

He stated that teams of engineers and architects in the Ministry of Public Works and Housing were working day and night with the owners of the affected homes, and that he had given orders to his staff to facilitate all services necessary and to speed up any transactions with civilians. UNRWA, the organization responsible for Palestinian refugees, said enough money has come in to build only 200 homes.

Susya falls within “Area C”, which covers almost two thirds of the West Bank and remains under full Israeli civil and security control, as stipulated by the Oslo II Accord signed in 1995 between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

“The march towards real reconstruction of the Gaza Strip has begun, and nothing will stop it”, Hasayneh said.

Critics of the blockade have called for it to be fully lifted to accelerate reconstruction, warning that an ongoing humanitarian crisis could fuel further conflict.

Egypt last month allowed cement supplies to be brought in through the Rafah crossing.