Northern Gaza’s shattered neighborhoods reveal a stark reality: families like Rawia Tambora’s now inhabit bomb-scarred homes without electricity or running water. With 600,000 displaced Palestinians returning since the ceasefire began, the initial joy of homecoming has faded into a grinding battle against debris and despair.
Some people wish the war had never ended,Tambora confesses, her voice breaking. My brain stopped planning for the future.
The World Bank estimates $53 billion is needed to rebuild Gaza – a figure dwarfing current aid efforts. Critical shortages plague recovery:
- Only 5 functional bulldozers remain in Gaza City
- 50 million tons of rubble requiring 15 years to clear
- 90% of households lack consistent clean water access
UNICEF reports families are grieving the lives that they used to live while confronting destroyed infrastructure. Asmaa Dwaima, a dentist sifting through her flattened four-story home, embodies this crisis: They don’t just destroy stone – they erase our identity.
With the ceasefire’s expiration looming, humanitarian agencies race to deliver mobile homes and solar panels. Meanwhile, students like Huda Skaik attempt online classes via spotty internet – a fragile symbol of normalcy amid Gaza’s 16-month trauma cycle.
