UNRWA: Gaza will Take Years to Be Safe Again

By Staff, Agencies

The United Nations agency for Palestinians [UNRWA] warned on that it will “take years” before the Gaza Strip is made safe again.

It says “Israeli” attacks have left almost 23 million tons of rubble and unexploded weapons scattered across the enclave, which will continue to pose a threat well into the future.

The UN aid coordination office [OCHA] said mine action partners are now “carrying out assessments of explosive threats” and educating Gazans about the dangers.

It added however, that “response efforts have been hampered by restrictions on the import of humanitarian mine action supplies and authorization requirements for the deployment of specialized personnel."

The UN stated the current “Israeli” military aggression in Gaza has not only resulted in an unprecedented death toll and displaced over 1.5 million people, but has also seen extensive destruction of infrastructure.

As “Israel” continues its relentless bombardment of the Palestinian enclave, its estimated from satellite images that over 150,000 buildings and homes have been damaged and destroyed.

That is believed to add up to more than half of all structures in the 365-kilometer square area, home to 2.3 million people.

Across Gaza, residential areas have been left in ruins, schools and universities have been destroyed, roads rendered impassable, and water and other essential services are no longer functioning.

The UN further mentioned that economic activity in the enclave, across all sectors, has ground to a halt, except for the minimum health and food services, and that the impact on household welfare is immeasurable.

The war has destroyed families and their livelihoods, left thousands with life-changing injuries, and seen sprawling tent cities spring up, notably around the southern city of Rafah where many have fled.

Aid agencies have also warned of the severe impact that the war is having on both the physical and mental health of Palestinians.

At the same time, an estimated 17000 Palestinian children are now unaccompanied or have been separated from their parents.