Palestinians are returning to their homes in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah, a landscape ravaged by over 15 months of fighting between Israel and Hamas. The truce has brought an eerie silence to the skies above Gaza and Israel.
Destruction is widespread across Gaza, with built-up refugee camps interspersed among cities. Drone footage shows vast expanses of rubble stretching as far as the eye can see – remnants of the longest and deadliest war in their blood-ridden history.
Critics say Israel has waged a campaign of destruction to leave Gaza without life. However, Israel denies these charges, saying its military targets militants hiding in densely populated areas and aims to minimize harm to civilians.
Military experts agree that the reality is complicated. “The level of damage from this prolonged conflict is extremely high,” said Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at a British think-tank.
International rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, view the destruction as part of a broader pattern of extermination aimed at Palestinians in Gaza. The groups dispute Israel’s claim that destruction was caused by military activity.
The war has devastated Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, displacing 90% of its population and leaving many without homes. Rebuilding is expected to take years, if not decades.
Experts say the ground forces’ operations intensified with the use of bulldozers to clear routes, downing buildings seen as threats, and blowing up Hamas’ underground tunnel network. The military’s approach has been described as “scorched earth.”
The Israeli army has also created buffer zones inside Gaza, carving out secure plots for its forces. These areas have been leveled, adding to the destruction.
As Palestinians return to their shattered homes, they face long-lasting effects of the war – a landscape ravaged by devastation and a uncertain future ahead.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/gaza-war-aftermath-destruction-4c148d498f3d67a5d6de2107b6a1c966