Palestinians Return to Ruins As Urgent Calls for Aid Escalate
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – As Palestinians return to devastated neighborhoods, makeshift shelters and crowded refuge with relatives highlight urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza.
Palestinians have begun returning to their homes, only to find entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble. Streets that once echoed with children's laughter now lie silent, strewn with debris.
In the face of devastation, finding shelter has become the top priority for many. Families have resorted to constructing makeshift tents near the remains of their homes, using salvaged materials such as wood, metal, and sheets to shield themselves from harsh conditions.
Some have turned to neighbors or relatives for refuge, resulting in cramped living spaces shared by multiple families. The dire situation has amplified calls for immediate shelter and humanitarian assistance.
Tamer Qarmout, associate professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, described the limited aid reaching Gaza as insufficient. “It is like putting a patient on a life machine, and you can decide at any moment to shut it down, and they are dead,” he told Al Jazeera.
Qarmout emphasized the critical need for comprehensive support. “We are talking about a population of 2.2 million, who have survived the genocide, who live on the street by large, who have nothing—no basic necessities to live in dignified, simple living standards,” he said. “Most of them are traumatised. Most of them are sick.” He underscored that Gaza needs not only humanitarian but also developmental recovery aid for meaningful recovery.
A recent influx of humanitarian supplies has brought some relief. On the first day of the ceasefire, over 630 trucks carrying essential aid entered Gaza, with 300 heading to northern regions. The following day saw an increase to 915 trucks, delivering food, water, and medication. Further aid deliveries are expected today, with distribution planned across the enclave.
However, the scale of assistance remains far below the overwhelming needs of Gaza’s 2.2 million residents. The crisis has left millions in precarious conditions, dependent on continued and expanded support to recover from immense losses.
Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 47,035 Palestinians and wounded 111,091 since October 7, 2023.