UN agency says Gaza rubble removal could take 7 years as 90% live in dangerous conditions

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - The UN Development Program (UNDP) said on Tuesday that clearing Gaza's rubble at the current pace could take seven years, as most residents continue to live in extremely hazardous conditions.

In a virtual briefing from Jerusalem following a recent visit to the Gaza Strip, UNDP chief Alexander De Croo described the humanitarian situation as the worst he has seen in his years of development work.

"This is the worst living conditions that I have ever seen, extremely painful conditions to live in," De Croo said, adding that "90% of the people of Gaza today live in the middle of that rubble, which is extremely dangerous."

Noting that UNDP's recovery efforts are focused on three main areas, he said the first is debris and solid waste removal.

"Rubble removal, we have done approximately 0.5% of the total," De Croo said, adding that "at the current pace, it will take us seven years to remove all the rubble."

He stressed the need for increased authority and capacity to speed up debris removal and recycling.

De Croo said the temporary housing is the second priority, as "90% of the population lives in what you could not even call tents. I mean, this is very, very rudimentary tents."

The UNDP has built 500 recovery housing units and has 4,000 ready, but the needs far exceed the current supply, he explained.

"Between 200,000-300,000 units are necessary to give people a better living, not the living that they should have, but a better living than what's available for the moment," he added.

He said that the third area is restarting Gaza's private sector, which has largely been in hibernation. Recovery programs include limited investment and cash-for-work schemes, he said.

To expand assistance, De Croo said the UNDP has "one big ask to the Israeli authorities, and that is to have more access" for materials, housing units, and support for private businesses.

De Croo stressed that Israel's alleged security concerns should not be a reason to block greater access for UNDP and other UN organizations and international NGOs.

A US-backed ceasefire agreement has been in place in Gaza since Oct. 10, halting Israel's two-year war that has killed more than 72,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 171,000 others since October 2023.

Since the agreement took effect on Oct. 10, Israeli forces have committed hundreds of violations through shelling and gunfire, killing 603 Palestinians and injuring 1,618 others, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.