Amid Gaza Ruins, Palestinians Rebuild Their Lives

After the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel took effect on January 19, 2025, Palestinian residents in the Gaza Strip left the shelters to return to their homes. Some houses remained intact, but most had been destroyed. However, the spirit to fight, endure, and continue living remains strong.

When night falls, the collapsed buildings and piles of rubble in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza, are engulfed in complete darkness. In one of the damaged houses, the young sons of Rawya Tamboura are frightened by the darkness.

Tamboura turned on a flashlight and the light from his cellphone to entertain them. His family would survive the darkness for as long as there were batteries.

Tamboura's house was destroyed due to an airstrike at the beginning of the war. She and her family took refuge at the Indonesia Hospital, which was located not far away. There, Tamboura worked as a nurse.

After 16 months of the Hamas-Israel war, Tamboura, her husband, and their children have finally returned home. However, their house is like an empty shell devoid of life. There is no clean water, electricity, heating, or equipment to clear the debris. Only a sense of frustration lingers in their hearts.

“Some people wish the war would never end, because they feel it would be better to be killed. I don’t know what we’re going to do in the long term. My brain has stopped planning for the future,” Tamboura told the Associated Press on Tuesday (25/2/2025).

Now, Tamboura and his family live in the only room that can be considered intact. Its walls are cracked, and part of the ceiling has collapsed. The surviving refrigerator and sink are unusable due to the lack of water or electricity. They pile sheets and blankets in one corner.

Twice a day, Tamboura’s 12-year-old son carries heavy containers of water from the aid distribution site. They also have to find firewood for cooking. The influx of food aid has made food available in the market and prices have dropped, but it remains unaffordable.

Because the Indonesian Hospital is too damaged, Tamboura walks an hour every day to work at Kamal Adwan Hospital, also in Beit Lahia. She charges her and her husband's phones using the hospital's generator.

Tamboura’s relatives were far worse off. They returned to find nothing left of their homes. “So they live in tents, on or next to the ruins of buildings that are blown away by the winter winds or flooded during the rains,” Tamboura said.

In Gaza City, Asmaa Dwaima (25) and her family were finally able to set foot back on their feet. However, they had to rent an apartment because their house in the once luxurious Tel al-Hawa area was destroyed.

When visiting their four-story house, Dwaima saw only flattened and burnt rubble as a sign that they had lived there. Dwaima, a dentist, had to accept the bitter reality.

“I couldn't come here because I was scared. I pictured my home in my mind—its beauty and warmth. I'm afraid to face this reality. They are not just destroying rocks, they are also destroying us and our identity,” said Dwaima.

Dwaima's house was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike in 2014. They then rebuilt it. Now, they have nothing left to rebuild it with.

"We need to clear the debris because we want to get our clothes and some of our belongings out. We need heavy equipment. There are no bricks or other construction equipment and, if available, it is very expensive," Dwaima said.

Nearly 600,000 Palestinians have flooded back into northern Gaza after a month-long ceasefire, the United Nations said, welcoming the news.

In a hurry, they choose to go home to continue their lives even though they will only find damaged or destroyed houses due to Israeli bombing and attacks. After arriving, they must face the reality of living in ruins for an indefinite period of time.

UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram has visited northern Gaza since the ceasefire came into effect. She met with many Palestinian families to see conditions and hear their stories.

“They are grieving the life they once had as they begin to rebuild. Their desperation is growing,” Ingram said.

A report last week by the World Bank, the United Nations and the European Union projected that rebuilding the Gaza Strip would cost $53 billion. For now, there is little capacity or funding to begin any significant rebuilding project.

The priority now is to make Gaza habitable as soon as possible. In February 2025, Hamas threatened to delay the release of the hostages unless humanitarian aid, in the form of tents and temporary shelters, was allowed into Gaza. Israel eventually agreed to allow mobile homes and construction equipment.

Humanitarian agencies have stepped up services, setting up free kitchens and water delivery stations, the UN said. Tents and tarpaulins have been distributed to hundreds of thousands of people across Gaza. The Gaza City government has begun repairing some water mains and clearing debris from roads, but it lacks heavy equipment.

A report last week by the World Bank, the United Nations and the European Union projected that rebuilding the Gaza Strip would cost $53 billion.

“Only a few of the 40 bulldozers and five garbage trucks are still functioning,” said Gaza Municipality spokesman Asem Alnabih.

There is more than 50 million tonnes of debris in Gaza, requiring 100 trucks to operate for 15 years to clear it, according to the UN.

In addition, the fate of the Hamas-Israel ceasefire is hanging in the balance. The first phase of the ceasefire is set to end on March 1, 2025.

The second phase of negotiations has been delayed. Israel violated the agreement by delaying 620 Palestinian prisoners even though Hamas has released six Israeli hostages on Saturday (22/2/2025). Tel Aviv even stated that it is ready to fight again in Gaza and has deployed the military to the West Bank on Sunday (23/2/2025). Meanwhile, Hamas refuses to continue negotiations until the prisoner exchange agreement is fulfilled by Israel.

Hamas-Israel negotiators Egypt, Qatar and the United States are seeking an extension of the first phase of the ceasefire. If fighting in the Gaza Strip erupts again, the lives of Palestinians who have returned could be at risk again.

Pressure is mounting as US President Donald Trump calls for the entire population of Gaza to be relocated to neighboring Arab countries so that the US can take over the territory. This proposal has drawn the ire of Palestinians and the international community. Palestinians have never wanted to give up their land.

Huda Skaik (20), an English literature student at the Islamic University of Gaza, also did not give up. She continued to pursue her education through online classes even though the poor internet signal and electricity from solar panels did not always work. Currently, Skaik shares a room with three siblings and her parents in her grandparents' house in Gaza City.

"The worst part is we just realized that we have lost everything. The devastation is so great, but I try to stay positive," Skaik said firmly. (AP)