Rebuilding Gaza could take 80 years, UN rapporteur says
Gaza needs 80 years to reconstruct all the homes and buildings destroyed by Israel in the besieged territory over the past year, says a UN rapporteur.
United Nations housing expert Balakrishnan Rajagopal said Saturday that by January this year, between 60% and 70% of homes in Gaza had been destroyed.
The northern areas, he said, are facing an even higher destruction rate of 82%.
"The situation is much worse now," according to Rajagopal who said the destruction in the north is nearing 100% now.
The regime’s unprecedented bombardment has left an estimated 42 million tons of debris piled where houses, mosques, schools and shops used to stand.
The rubble is mixed with unexploded ordnance, toxic waste, asbestos from collapsed buildings, and other materials, Rajagopal said. He said that groundwater and soil contamination has reached a catastrophic level.
The World Health Organization had warned that large amounts of dust released from destroyed buildings are releasing hazardous materials that float into the air or seep into water supplies, risking serious health problems for Gaza’s 2.3 million people.
Experts say the cost of rebuilding Gaza is increasing exponentially each day the regime’s unprecedented bombardment of the territory continues.
Ezzedine al Qassam: the man who inspired armed struggle against Israeli occupation
Yemeni army claims hypersonic missile attack on Tel Aviv
In numbers: 440 days of Israeli-American genocidal war on Gaza Strip
Eight Palestinians killed as Israel attacks Gaza school, hospitals
VIDEO | Rome, Milan host new protests in solidarity with Palestinians
Dec. 21: ‘Axis of Resistance’ operations against Israeli occupation
Spain jurists demand ties with Israel ties be cut
VIDEO | Press TV's news headlines
VIDEO | Iran honors top Science Olympiad medalists
VIDEO | Austrians arrested at Gaza protest in Vienna
10 killed in bus crash in western Iran
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
