'A long, long road ahead': Gaza rebuilds from zero

Whether by foot or by car, the journey back home has begun. For Gazans displaced over the past 15 months, the distance isn't far—the Gaza Strip is small—but today's journey is just the start of an uncertain future for this war-ravaged place. The scale of the impending humanitarian challenge is almost unimaginable.

"There are no facilities, no services, no electricity, no water, no infrastructure. We have to start from scratch, rebuild everything," said Gaza journalist Ghada El-Kurd, as she prepared to return north from Deir al-Balah, where she had taken refuge for months. For now, immediate needs like food and shelter are beginning to be addressed.

“The flow of aid has reached unprecedented levels since the start of the conflict. As a result, we are able to meet the minimum needs of food, water, blankets, hygiene kits, and the like. But beyond that, it's still a long and difficult road," said Sam Rose of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. Finding shelter amid Gaza's apocalyptic ruins will be the first of many long-term challenges.

As many as 700,000 people fled Gaza City and the surrounding area early in the war. Others, possibly as many as 400,000, remained in place. Some of the abandoned areas were completely destroyed, while others barely survived. The UN estimates that about 70% of buildings in the Gaza Strip have been damaged or destroyed since October 2023, with the damage most severe in the north. Jabalia, with a pre-war population of 200,000, about half of whom lived in one of Gaza's oldest and largest refugee camps, has been almost completely destroyed. It is clear that for many, the days of living in tents are far from over.

The Hamas government media office in Gaza has made an urgent appeal for 135,000 tents and caravans. The UN says it is now able to bring in 20,000 tents that have been stuck at the border since August, along with a large number of tarpaulins and mattresses. But it says it will struggle to meet the sudden demand for shelter. "There simply aren't that many tents in the world made for aid operations," said Mr. Rose.

Those who managed to stay in the north throughout the war fear that the already severe housing pressures will worsen as civilians return and hope to move back into homes abandoned more than a year ago. "It's a huge problem because people were staying in the houses of relatives or friends in the south," said Asma Tayeh, whose family had to flee Jabalia but never left the north. "Now they have to vacate these houses and return them to the owners. So, a new displacement is starting." Asma said her building already houses four families, and expects three more soon. She said the lack of space and privacy has already led to tensions.

The return of refugees is having other knock-on effects. "I went to the market for the first time today to buy frozen fish," said Asma. "But the sellers are already raising prices." Pressure on already scarce water and electricity supplies is also expected to increase. But despite the widespread expectation of difficulties, those returning sometimes express their relief and hope in very optimistic terms. "We are so happy to be back in the north where we can finally find comfort," one woman told the BBC. "To leave the suffering we experienced in the south and return to dignity in Beit Hanoun." According to recent reports from Beit Hanoun, in the far northeast corner of the Gaza Strip, close to the Israeli border, the town is unrecognizable.

What about Donald Trump's suggestion that people should move temporarily or permanently to Egypt or Jordan? Officials in both Egypt and Jordan were quick to condemn the suggestion. Both countries fear the social and security implications of an influx of large numbers of traumatized refugees. "Jordan is for Jordanians and Palestine is for Palestinians," said Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi. His country already hosts 2.4 million registered Palestinian refugees. Among the far-right colleagues of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump's suggestion was warmly welcomed.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who supports Israeli annexation and settlement of the Gaza Strip, called it "a good idea." Last year, speaking at a meeting of supporters, he spoke of creating "a situation in two years that will reduce the population of Gaza to half of its current size." Unless Gaza recovers quickly, and Gazans can see hope for a better future, Mr. Smotrich may get his wish. "I think in the first few months, they will see what will happen," said journalist Ghada El-Kurd. "If they lose everything and the reconstruction process is delayed, I don't think people will stay in Gaza."

About 150,000 people have already left since the start of the war in October 2023. Ghada said she expects others who are able to will follow suit, seeking a future in the Arab world or elsewhere, while the poorest and most vulnerable are left behind. "I agree with Trump that people should live a better life," she said. "But why not in Gaza?"