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Gaza: The scars of war

Palestinians are unable to rebuild their homes a year after a devastating war with Israel due to the crippling blockade.

An entire neighbourhood in Shujayea was wiped out in the 2014 Israeli war on Gaza, killing many and displacing thousands. At the current rate of reconstruction materials being allowed into blockaded Gaza, it will take another 66 years to rebuild what was destroyed and meet the population's housing needs. [Karl Schembri/NRC]
An entire neighbourhood in Shujayea was wiped out in the 2014 Israeli war on Gaza, killing many and displacing thousands. At the current rate of reconstruction materials being allowed into blockaded Gaza, it will take another 66 years to rebuild what was destroyed and meet the population's housing needs. [Karl Schembri/NRC]
By Karl Schembri
23 Jul 2015

One year since the beginning of the 2014 Israeli war on Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of over 2,000 Palestinians, tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza are left with huge scars of war. Many are still homeless, waiting for reconstruction to begin in the blockaded enclave.

None of the 12,600 homes destroyed a year ago have been rebuilt, leaving up to 100,000 people still displaced, with many of them living in makeshift tents or struggling to earn enough to pay rent in an economy shattered by 8 years under blockade. An extra 83,977 housing units are still waiting for repairs and people continue to live in homes with gaping holes from the bombardment.

While much has been made of mechanisms to bring in construction materials which the blockade prevents, the problem goes deeper than merely providing building materials. At present, Gaza is getting just 7.5 percent of daily construction materials needed to cover the housing demand for the next five years, but even where materials are available, the people lack the finances to start reconstruction in an area with the highest unemployment rate in the world. Large swaths of rubble are still waiting to be cleared – some still containing unexploded ordnance from the war – while the water network has suffered severe damage and electricity only comes intermittently.

The following photo essay shows some of the people in Gaza and their struggle to survive a crippling blockade one year after the last war that destroyed their houses and killed members of their family and friends. The stories range from a fisherman who had his boat – the only source for his family’s livelihood – destroyed, to a father and a grandfather who lost six of his family members, including his wife and three sons. These individuals live with the scars of war every day.

Thousands of people in this neighbourhood in Beit Hanoun had their houses destroyed in the 2014 war. One year on, none of the 12,580 destroyed houses have been rebuilt and over 100,000 Palestinians remain homeless. [Karl Schembri/NRC]
Thousands of people in this neighbourhood in Beit Hanoun had their houses destroyed in the 2014 war. One year on, none of the 12,580 destroyed houses have been rebuilt and over 100,000 Palestinians remain homeless. [Karl Schembri/NRC]
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Dr Nabeel Al-Shawa (left) is a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at the only prosthetic clinic in Gaza. He is checking on Rajaa Mohammed Hamdan from Rafah, who lost his leg and fingers when an Israeli bomb landed just outside his house while he was in the doorway with his 15-year-old son Mohammed. [Karl Schembri/NRC]
Dr Nabeel Al-Shawa (left) is a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at the only prosthetic clinic in Gaza. He is checking on Rajaa Mohammed Hamdan from Rafah, who lost his leg and fingers when an Israeli bomb landed just outside his house while he was in the doorway with his 15-year-old son Mohammed. [Karl Schembri/NRC]
Ameni Jabar al-Haddad, 34, is the head of physiotherapy at Gaza's only prosthetic clinic. She has held the job for seven years, during which she has dealt with casualties from three major wars with Israel. 'We've had a war every two years; it's like a dreaded appointment now in which we expect anything to happen,' Haddad said. [Karl Schembri/NRC]
Ameni Jabar al-Haddad, 34, is the head of physiotherapy at Gaza's only prosthetic clinic. She has held the job for seven years, during which she has dealt with casualties from three major wars with Israel. 'We've had a war every two years; it's like a dreaded appointment now in which we expect anything to happen,' Haddad said. [Karl Schembri/NRC]
Wafdi Suhail Baker, 25, a father of two from Shatee refugee camp, stands on his boat which was destroyed by an Israeli bomb. He used the boat to provide for his family. [Karl Schembri/NRC]
Wafdi Suhail Baker, 25, a father of two from Shatee refugee camp, stands on his boat which was destroyed by an Israeli bomb. He used the boat to provide for his family. [Karl Schembri/NRC]
Forty-three-year-old Hazem Zaqout's mother and brother owned three apartments on the 16th floor of the Italian Complex in Gaza City. The complex was destroyed by an Israeli strike on August 25, 2014, in the final hours of the 50-day war on Gaza. 'We lost our home, my life savings, and my brother in the last war,' Zaqout said. [Karl Schembri/NRC]
Forty-three-year-old Hazem Zaqout's mother and brother owned three apartments on the 16th floor of the Italian Complex in Gaza City. The complex was destroyed by an Israeli strike on August 25, 2014, in the final hours of the 50-day war on Gaza. 'We lost our home, my life savings, and my brother in the last war,' Zaqout said. [Karl Schembri/NRC]
Nasser Abu Isayed's wife was killed during an Israeli incursion and his house was destroyed. After living in a tent for two years with his five children, he finally rebuilt his house. Barely two months into his new house, the Israeli military destroyed it once again. [Karl Schembri/NRC]
Nasser Abu Isayed's wife was killed during an Israeli incursion and his house was destroyed. After living in a tent for two years with his five children, he finally rebuilt his house. Barely two months into his new house, the Israeli military destroyed it once again. [Karl Schembri/NRC]
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Mohammed Hamad, 75, a farmer from Beit Hanoun, lost six of his family members, including his wife, three sons, a daughter-in-law and a granddaughter. 'Everything changed for us last year,' Mohammed said. 'To be stolen of my wife is too hard. I now face my grandchildren on my own and I feel lost.' [Karl Schembri/NRC]
Mohammed Hamad, 75, a farmer from Beit Hanoun, lost six of his family members, including his wife, three sons, a daughter-in-law and a granddaughter. 'Everything changed for us last year,' Mohammed said. 'To be stolen of my wife is too hard. I now face my grandchildren on my own and I feel lost.' [Karl Schembri/NRC]
Riyad Abu Ouda, 56, had a house in Beit Hanoun with three apartments that were destroyed in 2014. They are now back on the site of their destroyed house where 10 people live in a metal shack he built. 'I never felt as depressed as when we returned after the war and saw our house destroyed,' Ouda said. [Karl Schembri/NRC]
Riyad Abu Ouda, 56, had a house in Beit Hanoun with three apartments that were destroyed in 2014. They are now back on the site of their destroyed house where 10 people live in a metal shack he built. 'I never felt as depressed as when we returned after the war and saw our house destroyed,' Ouda said. [Karl Schembri/NRC]
Bayan, 12, from Khan Younis, is the oldest of four siblings. They lost their mother during the 2014 Israeli war on Gaza. 'We're all victims of the war and we will never forget it. But I'm no longer afraid. I know there will be other wars, we've had one every two years, and we have nothing left to lose.' [Karl Schembri/NRC]
Bayan, 12, from Khan Younis, is the oldest of four siblings. They lost their mother during the 2014 Israeli war on Gaza. 'We're all victims of the war and we will never forget it. But I'm no longer afraid. I know there will be other wars, we've had one every two years, and we have nothing left to lose.' [Karl Schembri/NRC]
Wajeha Alshaer suffered the devastating loss of three of her children in different drone strikes in the 2014 war. 'We've seen too much. We have no security or stability in our life. When will this ever end?' Alshaer said. [Karl Schembri/NRC]
Wajeha Alshaer suffered the devastating loss of three of her children in different drone strikes in the 2014 war. 'We've seen too much. We have no security or stability in our life. When will this ever end?' Alshaer said. [Karl Schembri/NRC]
Abeer, 40, is a Syrian national who fled from Yarmouk Camp in Damascus to the Gaza Strip with her Palestinian husband. Since marrying him, she has been facing a lot of problems in keeping custody of her children from her first marriage, and finally had to leave Syria without them. 'I'm trapped here. I can't go back to Syria because the borders are closed. I receive little bits of news from my children and I miss them terribly. I feel I've abandoned them and it's killing me.' [Karl Schembri/NRC]
Abeer, 40, is a Syrian national who fled from Yarmouk Camp in Damascus to the Gaza Strip with her Palestinian husband. Since marrying him, she has been facing a lot of problems in keeping custody of her children from her first marriage, and finally had to leave Syria without them. 'I'm trapped here. I can't go back to Syria because the borders are closed. I receive little bits of news from my children and I miss them terribly. I feel I've abandoned them and it's killing me.' [Karl Schembri/NRC]
One year since the 38-year-old Al-Awda biscuits factory in Deir Al-Balah was struck by Israeli artillery fire, workers are still clearing up the heavily damaged areas and destroyed warehouses. [Karl Schembri/NRC]
One year since the 38-year-old Al-Awda biscuits factory in Deir Al-Balah was struck by Israeli artillery fire, workers are still clearing up the heavily damaged areas and destroyed warehouses. [Karl Schembri/NRC]
Gaza gets only eight hours of electricity a day, with the cost of running generators for Al-Awda more than double the price of regular electricity. In the 2014 war on Gaza, 206 factories and workshops were completely destroyed and another 332 were damaged. [Karl Schembri/NRC]
Gaza gets only eight hours of electricity a day, with the cost of running generators for Al-Awda more than double the price of regular electricity. In the 2014 war on Gaza, 206 factories and workshops were completely destroyed and another 332 were damaged. [Karl Schembri/NRC]
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