• Palestinians in Gaza are eager to return home following a ceasefire, yet face devastated neighborhoods and no clear path to rebuilding.
• Israeli bombardment has left major infrastructure in ruins, with critical water, electricity, and hospital services nonfunctional.
• According to the UN, rebuilding could take over 350 years if the blockade remains in place.
• The World Bank estimates damages around $18.5 billion from just four months of conflict.
• International involvement is crucial but hindered by possible governance issues and long-standing blockades.

As hopes for a long-awaited ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict loom, many Palestinians in Gaza yearn to return to their homes, currently reduced to rubble. However, the destruction wrought by Israeli airstrikes and ground operations has turned once-vibrant neighborhoods into desolate wastelands, marked by debris and the remains of [SCMP]. The devastation includes shattered infrastructure; roads are impassable, with crucial services like water and electricity either severely disrupted or entirely nonfunctional.

The scale of damage is staggering, as the [Voice of America] reports that nearly 70% of Gaza's structures are either damaged or destroyed, amounting to over 245,000 homes. The UN recently estimated that rebuilding efforts could take more than 350 years if the blockade remains in effect, complicating progress further. This blockade, enforced by Israel and Egypt since Hamas's rise to power in 2007, limits the movement of essential goods and materials.

The destructive conflict began with Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel, claiming over 1,200 lives and prompting a fierce retaliatory response from Israeli forces, which has reportedly resulted in over 46,000 Palestinian casualties, including a significant number of women and children, according to estimates by Gaza's Health Ministry. While Israel claims that over 17,000 militants have been killed, the exact breakdown of civilian versus combatant deaths remains unclear [LA Times].

A staggering amount of rubble presents another layer of complexity to the rebuilding effort. The current estimates suggest over 50 million tons of debris have been left in the wake of the conflict—an amount that dwarfs the Great Pyramid of Giza. Clearing this debris is not only daunting but dangerous, too; it contains unexploded ordnance and other hazardous materials [Voice of America].

Furthermore, the ceasefire agreement, if approved, signifies only the beginning of a protracted reconstruction process. Key discussions remain about who will govern Gaza once hostilities cease and whether the blockade will be lifted to facilitate rebuilding efforts. The international community, particularly the United States and Arab allies, seek to support a revitalized Palestinian Authority in governances; however, Israel has ruled out any role for this entity in Gaza. As such, the prospect of international donations to rebuild seems bleak in an ungoverned territory that has witnessed multiple conflicts in recent years.

The reality is harsh: as Palestinians in Gaza anticipate the possibility of returning to their homes amidst a hollow shell of what once existed, the uncertainty about rebuilding and the persistent blockade cast a long shadow over the potential for recovery in the region.

For further insights, refer to the original articles: [SCMP], [LA Times], [Voice of America].