A United Nations expert has warned that the scale of destruction in northern Gaza is so vast that recovery will take “generations,” as thousands of Palestinians return to what remains of their homes after Israeli forces withdrew under a recent ceasefire.
Balakrishnan Rajagopal, the UN special rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, said that displaced Palestinians coming back to northern Gaza are finding “nothing but rubble.”
“The psychological impacts and trauma are profound, and that’s what we are seeing right now as people are returning to northern Gaza,” Rajagopal told Al Jazeera on Saturday.
He called on Israel to immediately allow the delivery of tents and caravans to the territory, saying that without shelter, survivors face unbearable humanitarian conditions.
92% of Gaza’s residential buildings damaged
According to UN estimates, nearly 92 percent of all residential buildings in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed since the conflict began.
Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians continue to live in tents and makeshift shelters, with basic necessities like clean water and electricity still scarce.
Rajagopal said that while temporary shelters were supposed to enter Gaza earlier this year during a ceasefire, “almost none” were allowed in because of Israel’s strict blockade.
“Even immediate relief and aid to the people of Gaza is not possible unless Israel stops controlling all the entry points. That is essential,” he said.
‘Domicide’ and long-term trauma
Rajagopal described the widespread demolition of homes as a form of “domicide” — a deliberate destruction of housing — and said it is a core part of Israel’s campaign that has rendered large parts of Gaza uninhabitable.
“The destruction of homes and clearing people from the area and making the area uninhabitable is one of the main ways in which the act of genocide has been committed,” he said, adding that the process of rebuilding will take generations.
The two-year war, which has displaced millions and left Gaza’s infrastructure in ruins, continues to draw international condemnation over civilian suffering and the collapse of basic living conditions.
Thousands return amid ceasefire
Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been streaming back into northern Gaza after Israeli forces pulled back on Friday as part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, mediated by regional powers.
However, those returning face harrowing scenes — entire neighbourhoods reduced to dust, roads impassable, and no immediate access to aid or medical care.
“People are returning to nothing — no homes, no schools, no hospitals,” said a local volunteer in Gaza City. “It’s as if life has been erased here.”
The destruction and displacement have drawn comparisons to the 1948 Nakba (catastrophe), when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced from their homes during the creation of Israel.
With much of Gaza’s infrastructure obliterated, the UN and humanitarian agencies warn that rebuilding efforts could take decades — even with sustained international support.
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