Displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are manually removing rubble using basic tools, in the absence of heavy machinery and international reconstruction assistance.
Seven months into a fragile ceasefire, large-scale reconstruction remains largely stalled in Gaza, with Israeli restrictions on construction materials and unresolved political disputes deemed as key obstacles.
Many families in the enclave say they can no longer wait for rebuilding plans to begin.
Mohammad Adel, who lost his seven-story home in Khan Younis during the war, has been living with his family under difficult displacement conditions in the crowded tents of Al Mawasi for more than two years.
Unable to wait any longer, Adel decided to begin clearing the rubble of his home by hand.
"We see that there will be no reconstruction for Gaza and the closure is very strict on us. Waiting for reconstruction will take a very long time, so we started working and removing the rubble with our own hands. As you can see, this will cost us money, but we are trying to prepare the place so we can live in it," he said.
For some unemployed workers, clearing debris has become a temporary source of income amid the economic collapse caused by the war.
"Today, financial means have become nonexistent. Before the war, I had a chicken farm, but my work stopped because of the war. So I searched for another job that could provide me with an income, and I have no choice except this extremely exhausting work," said Abdullah Al Bayouk, a worker.
Palestinian officials warn that the continued delay in reconstruction is forcing thousands of displaced families to remain inside tents or unsafe damaged buildings, under worsening humanitarian conditions.
"Over 400,000 residential buildings have been either totally destroyed or rendered uninhabitable, along with more than 60 million tons of rubble. And 3,000 more housing units are at risk of collapse, yet people are still living inside them," said Mohannad Abboud, director of reconstruction of the Palestinian Ministry of Public Works.
A recent UN report showed that rebuilding Gaza and clearing the debris will require more than 71 billion U.S. dollars over the next decade. The rubble is estimated to cover around 78 percent of buildings across the strip.
Gaza residents clear rubble by hand as large-scale reconstruction stalls
Gaza residents clear rubble by hand as large-scale reconstruction stalls
China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Fu Cong on Friday called for advancing an inclusive political transition in Syria.
The international community widely expects Syria to eliminate armed conflicts, restore order, establish inclusive governance and ensure equal rights through a political transition, said Fu at the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Syria at the UN headquarters in New York City.
China calls on all parties in Syria to focus on the greater interests of the people, show mutual tolerance, and resolve tensions and differences through extensive dialog and consultation, he told the Security Council.
The key to keeping Syria stable is rooting out the scourge of terrorism, said Fu.
While the overall level of violence in the country has come down, the security situation remains fragile. Terrorist groups entrenched in Syria frequently cause trouble, seriously threatening peace and security both in Syria and the region, he said.
"We call on the Syrian transitional government to fulfill its international obligations, translate its political commitments into concrete policies and actions, and take all effective measures to combat with a firm hand all international terrorist groups listed by the Security Council, including the East Turkestan Islamic Movement," said Fu.
The restoration of peace and development in Syria cannot be achieved without a stable external environment. The international community should uphold the UN Charter and the basic norms of international relations and support the maintenance of Syria's sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity. The Golan Heights is internationally recognized as an occupied territory of Syria. Israel should cease all military operations on Syrian soil and withdraw without delay from Syrian territory, he said.
Currently, tensions persist in the Middle East and are spilling over in a way that seriously imperils regional peace and stability. Given the current context, it is incumbent on the international community to help Syria preserve the largely stable situation in the country and prevent the spillover of the regional conflict that may trigger even greater upheaval in Syria, said Fu.
Fu said that Syria has a weak economic foundation, a massive backlog of humanitarian needs, and formidable challenges to sustainable development. The international community should increase humanitarian and development assistance to Syria, so that every Syrian can live a life of dignity.
China remains committed to working with the international community in a constructive role to help Syria achieve security and development, and to help restore peace and stability to the region as early as possible, he said.
Chinese envoy urges advancing political transition in Syria
