Palestinian minister warns Gaza housing destruction has reached critical level

The scale of housing destruction in the Gaza Strip has reached a critical level and requires sustained international support for recovery, with 372,000 housing units damaged in the conflict, including around 60,000 requiring partial restoration, Palestinian Minister of Local Government Sami A. Hijjawi, has stated.

Speaking at the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, he said a significant proportion would need to be completely rebuilt, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

According to him, the discussion about housing in Palestine, especially in the Gaza Strip, is not only about rebuilding homes, but also about restoring lives, dignity, and stability.

“Housing is the foundation of social, economic, and humanitarian recovery,” he noted.

The minister added that the conflict had displaced an estimated 1.9 to 2 million people.

In his view, the destruction extended beyond housing, severely damaging water and sanitation systems, schools and universities, further deepening the humanitarian crisis.

Hijjawi stressed that effective reconstruction would require international political will, long-term financing, access to construction materials and coordinated planning.

He said the Gaza reconstruction plan is envisaged as a five-year programme, including an early recovery phase, temporary shelter provision and the construction of at least 200,000 housing units.

“Reconstruction is not only an engineering process, but also a humanitarian and moral responsibility,” he added.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov