Gaza housing needs after three years of blockade and war
The housing needs in the Gaza Strip are not just limited to the Operation Cast Lead destruction. The total war related caseload includes damages from pre Cast Lead Israeli-related destruction. It must also not be forgotten the housing units partly completed, but frozen since June 2007 due to the blockade and the refugees currently living in camps who need to be re-housed. This is in addition to the tens of thousands of units needed to be built in Gaza to accommodate natural growth.
After three years of the blockade on the Gaza Strip and almost eighteen months after operation Cast Lead, little of the extensive needs for homes and infrastructure throughout the Gaza Strip have been met.
Since the beginning of the blockade, largely only the repairing of minor damaged houses or transitional construction has taken place.
Almost zero progress has been made for over 6,000 major and totally damaged homes during Cast Lead, less than 200 have been completed to date.
The suffering continues; reconstruction is being prevented because the blockade on the Gaza Strip.
The humanitarian community cannot do its job because of the blockade. Despite their willingness, for the last three years local authorities, NGOs, UN and other agencies have had little or no impact on shelter construction.
INGOs and some donors have re-directed or even withdrawn their effort until change happens. Meanwhile, families continue to suffer.
There remains no durable solution on the horizon for the worst affected families, unless the blockade is lifted.