Palestinians in Gaza Returning to Nothing After War: FT

By Staff, Agencies

After months of war, around two million displaced Palestinians have been desperate to return to their homes. 

"Donkey cart drivers, the main taxi service since the besieged enclave has been deprived of fuel, in recent months would call out the names of places all Gazans knew could not be reached — such as Beit Hanoun in the north, engulfed in fighting — as an expression of the longing to return," according to the Financial Times. 

A ceasefire on Sunday allowed some to return, but the magnitude of the devastation from Rafah to Jabalia overshadowed the relief.

As reported by FT, roads, shops, and parks had been replaced with fields of sand, twisted metal, and crumbling concrete, symbolizing a profound loss of the life they once knew.

The 15-month war on Gaza has caused unprecedented devastation, with Palestinian health authorities reporting around 47,000 deaths since "Israel" began its assault on the enclave on October 7, 2023.

For many, returning home brings a new wave of heartbreak. Palestinians returning to their abandoned neighborhoods are discovering the bodies of loved ones buried beneath the rubble of their homes.

Meanwhile, Gaza’s Civil Defense authority estimated that 10,000 bodies remain trapped under the debris.

Furthermore, post-war reconstruction plans remain uncertain due to the ongoing six-week ceasefire phase, with the second and third phases uncertain and subject to negotiation.

According to FT, the lack of clarity on funding is causing Palestinians to face prolonged displacement in tents amid the wreckage of their homes.