STORY: Many Gazans displaced by war returned to their hometowns on Monday, only to find everything demolished.
In central Gaza’s Al-Bureij, this man said the area looked like it was hit by a devastating earthquake.
And it’s even worse in north Gaza, another man said.
After a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect on Sunday, attention now shifts to the rebuilding of the coastal enclave.
A United Nations damage assessment released this month estimated that 50 million tonnes of rubble have been left in the aftermath of Israel’s bombardment.
That could take 21 years to clear, and cost up to $1.2 billion.
Some of the debris is also believed to be contaminated with asbestos.
Meanwhile, a grow in the flow of aid has come as great relief for Gazans, who have been battling hunger and the winter cold.
Desperate residents were seen rushing towards trucks carrying food and fuel from across the Rafah border on Monday.
600 truckloads of aid are now allowed into Gaza every day of the initial six-week ceasefire.
Half of the aid trucks would be delivered to the north, where experts have warned famine is imminent.
After 15 months of war, many are just happy for some quiet.
This mother of nine described her family‘s first night of feeling at ease, without the constant sounds of bombing and ambulance sirens.
But the heaviness of war still weighs on her.
“There will be scars because we lost so many of our beloved ones,” she said. “There will be as much sadness and pain as there is joy.”
