With reconstruction stalled, Gazans shelter in buildings at risk of collapse

Gaza City residents, like Heba Arafat, are forced to live in buildings that pose a significant risk of collapse following Israeli airstrikes during the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Arafat and her family now reside in an apartment building in Gaza City's Al-Shati Refugee Camp, which collapsed during the war. The building now tilts at a steep angle due to damaged foundations.

Arafat laments, "We were forced to live here because we had nowhere else to go. All of our homes were destroyed, our land was razed, and we have nothing left." The UN reports that 84% of Gaza's structures have been damaged or destroyed since October 2025, with 2,000 buildings at risk of collapse. In a recent incident, 21 people, including 12 children, died when a six-story building struck by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City collapsed.

Israel denies involvement in the building's destruction. Stalled reconstruction has left Gaza with a US$71.4 billion reconstruction and recovery requirement over the next decade, according to a joint assessment from the UN, World Bank, and EU in April. Despite international aid and a ceasefire, Israel continues to conduct airstrikes and restrict the entry of essential reconstruction materials, hindering efforts to rebuild Gaza's damaged infrastructure.