The Government Media Office revealed in an official statement that the Gaza Strip is facing the largest construction and humanitarian disaster in modern history. The volume of rubble resulting from the war of extermination waged by the Israeli occupation two years ago has exceeded 70 million tons of rubble and waste, including thousands of completely destroyed homes and facilities.

The statement emphasised that the widespread destruction has turned Gaza into an environmental and structural disaster zone. The destruction is invariably hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid and obstructing rescue and relief efforts. It also noted that the Zionist occupation is deliberately preventing the entry of heavy equipment and machinery needed to remove rubble and recover bodies by continuing to close the crossings and preventing the entry of engineering materials and supplies.

Gaza under rubble

The office explained that initial estimates indicate the presence of approximately 20,000 unexploded ordnance left over from the Israeli bombing, including bombs and missiles that require precise engineering treatment before any rubble removal can begin. The statement warned of the imminent danger these explosives pose to the lives of civilians and workers on the ground.

The Gaza Government Media Office also called on the international community to assume its legal and humanitarian responsibilities and pressure the Israeli occupation to urgently open the crossings and enable the relevant authorities to begin immediate rubble removal and reconstruction. It emphasised that any delay in this process would mean the continuation of the disaster and the escalation of health and environmental risks.

The office indicated that government agencies are working on developing a comprehensive national plan for rubble management, which includes identifying areas of accumulation, dealing with hazardous waste, and developing a plan for recycling and temporary storage, ensuring the gradual and efficient return of life to the Gaza Strip.

The statement concluded by emphasising that the massive destruction and the occupation’s responsibility for this disaster require urgent international action, and that continued global silence constitutes complicity in the ongoing crime of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza.

Featured image via the Canary

By Alaa Shamali

This post was originally published on Canary.