More than 25 million tons of debris generated from destruction in Gaza: UN

By Merve Aydogan

TORONTO, Canada (AA) - The UN noted Thursday the need for rebuilding efforts in Gaza once the conflict ends.

It warned that it would take years to clear the debris.

"Humanitarian partners warn that it will take years to clear nearly 23 million metric tons (25 million tons) of debris generated by the destruction of residential units and other properties across the Gaza Strip, and to clear up unexploded ordnance contamination," UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said a news conference.

"Mine action partners are carrying out some assessments of explosive threats and educating the public about the risks," the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement. "Larger-scale assessments are urgently required, but response efforts have been hampered by restrictions on the import of humanitarian mine action supplies and authorization requirements on the deployment of specialized personnel.”

Israel has launched a retaliatory offensive on Gaza since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7. The offensive has killed more than 30,800 victims and injured nearly 73,000 others amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Palestinian enclave, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

About 85% of Gazans have been displaced by the Israeli onslaught amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

- UN reconfiguring presence in Haiti

Dujarric said UN teams and partners are "continuing to work to deliver life-saving assistance to people in need, despite the limited access and despite obviously, the very concerning security situation," in Haiti.

"We are reconfiguring our presence in Haiti while remaining fully committed to delivering life-saving assistance to the people of Haiti," he said, adding that the move is "a rejiggering of the configuration of people. So, some people who don't need to be physically in Haiti are being moved to the Dominican Republic to work remotely. Others who have specializations that are more needed, notably on the humanitarian crisis and coordination, are coming in."

He also affirmed ongoing monitoring and reviewing implemented measures as the situation evolves daily.

Asked about the air bridge being set up between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, Dujarric said, "The air connection is not yet operational. Colleagues are working to ensure it becomes operational as soon as possible."

Haiti has been struggling with gang violence and political instability for years. The situation dramatically deteriorated in recent months, with kidnappings, killings, armed robberies and other violent crimes becoming commonplace.

The rampant instability has further exacerbated an exodus of migrants from Haiti, and Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigned Monday after fleeing the island nation for Puerto Rico.