Israeli Strikes Decimate 60% of Homes in Gaza Strip
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - According to a United Nations-led aid consortium, over 234,000 homes have sustained damage in Gaza, with approximately 46,000 completely destroyed, amounting to nearly 60% of the besieged enclave's housing stock.
This catastrophic situation affects around 2.3 million Palestinians residing in the area.
Israel's military offensive has transformed much of northern Gaza into desolate landscapes, rendering entire neighborhoods unrecognizable. Air raids and tank fire have ravaged homes, schools, and hospitals, leaving behind mostly battered, uninhabitable structures.
Though some buildings are still standing, the majority resemble mere shells of their former selves. A brief ceasefire allowed residents who stayed behind in Gaza City and other northern regions to venture out, assessing the devastation and attempting to find and bury relatives.
The destruction of homes and civilian infrastructure in the north severely hampers the region's capacity to meet essential life-sustaining needs, as indicated by reports from the UN.
The Israeli offensive has uprooted over 1.8 million people, approximately 80% of Gaza's population, with most seeking refuge in the south, according to the UN humanitarian affairs office. Israeli forces have prevented individuals from returning to the north during the seven-day ceasefire.
Despite the temporary lull in Gaza, reports emerged of continued deaths caused by Israeli gunfire in the Palestinian enclave, with two fatalities reported on Wednesday, according to the UN.
Circumstances surrounding the killings in northern Gaza remained unclear, with reports of shootings by Israeli forces in Gaza City on Thursday, and Israeli navy ships firing shells toward Gaza's southern coast, as per the UN's account.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs noted that while humanitarian aid and basic supplies have reached Gaza for seven consecutive days, the flow remains significantly insufficient. Access to safe drinking water in northern Gaza remains a concern, with fears of waterborne diseases persisting.
In the occupied West Bank's Jenin, the UN Human Rights Office reported the deaths of an eight-year-old and a 15-year-old Palestinian, affirming that they did not pose any “threat to the Israeli forces when shot”.
The devastating toll from Israeli atrocities stands with over 15,500 Palestinians killed in Gaza since October 7.