The echoes of October 7, 2023, continue to reverberate through Gaza, a day that irrevocably altered the landscape and the lives of its inhabitants. Following a large-scale attack by Hamas on Israel, which resulted in casualties and hostage-taking, Israel’s retaliatory strikes dramatically transformed Gaza. Neighborhoods once vibrant with daily life were reduced to rubble by relentless airstrikes. Families lost their homes, and the city’s infrastructure was decimated, leaving over two million people displaced and without basic necessities.
Two years later, Gaza remains a stark symbol of devastation. The aspirations for a peaceful future have been buried under tons of debris. Where schools once stood, children played, and markets bustled, now only the wind whistles through ruins. The scale of destruction is staggering: a United Nations report indicates that nearly 80 percent of Gaza’s buildings are destroyed. The financial impact is immense, with estimated losses exceeding Rs 4.5 lakh crore. Over 54 million tons of rubble choke the city, with experts predicting at least a decade solely for clearance. The projected cost of rebuilding is an additional Rs 1.2 lakh crore.
International discussions about Gaza’s reconstruction are ongoing. Preliminary reports suggest the United States is considering a leading role in the rebuilding effort, potentially with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair involved in planning. However, these plans are currently conceptual. The land itself has sustained long-term damage, with UN agricultural experts reporting explosive residues poisoning the soil, a problem that could take over two decades to rectify, rendering once-fertile fields barren.
The younger generation of Gaza has been profoundly affected. Almost 90 percent of educational institutions, including hundreds of schools and universities, are in ruins and non-functional. Healthcare facilities have also suffered immensely; out of 36 hospitals, 94 percent are damaged or destroyed. Those still partially operating struggle with severe shortages of electricity and medicine, forcing medical professionals to treat patients amidst the wreckage, leading to preventable deaths.
The human cost of this conflict is immeasurable. Over 66,000 Palestinians, including thousands of children, have been killed. The war has orphaned tens of thousands of children, leaving them to navigate a landscape of destruction, haunted by memories of a lost world. Despite this overwhelming despair, a resilient spirit persists, with residents dreaming of rebuilding and returning. Yet, the question remains: can Gaza truly rise from its ashes? Living in this war-torn region is, in itself, an extraordinary act of courage.