The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has left the Gaza Strip in ruins, with an overwhelming amount of debris now littering the area. Each day, Palestinian authorities are confronted with the monumental challenge of managing this destruction. According to three UN officials, the United Nations is actively working to assist in these efforts. Current estimates indicate that more than 42 million tons of rubble have accumulated in Gaza, enough to fill eleven of Egypt’s Great Pyramids at Giza, and it could take up to 14 years to clear it all.

On October 6, the Gaza government’s media office, which operates under Hamas control, reported that Israeli airstrikes targeted a mosque and a school where displaced individuals were taking refuge, resulting in at least 24 deaths and 93 injuries.

As reported by Reuters, the UN-led Debris Management Working Group plans to kick off a pilot program in collaboration with Palestinian authorities in Khan Younis and Deir el-Balah, starting this month with the clearance of roadside debris.

Alessandro Mrakic, head of the UN Development Programme’s office in Gaza and co-chair of the working group, stressed the enormity of the task ahead. “The challenges are significant; this will be a massive operation,” he said. “At the same time, it’s crucial that we start taking action now.”

When asked about the debris cleanup in Gaza, the Israeli Ministry of Defense’s humanitarian division, COGAT, indicated they are aiming to enhance waste management and working together with the UN to scale up their efforts. Mrakic acknowledged that coordination with Israel has been productive, but detailed discussions regarding future plans are still in progress.

Mrakic mentioned an unpublished preliminary assessment suggesting that cleaning up 10 million tons of rubble would cost roughly $280 million, and if hostilities were to cease, the total cleanup bill could reach around $1.2 billion. The UN had previously estimated that clearing all debris could take 14 years.

He also highlighted that, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, as many as 10,000 bodies might still be trapped beneath the rubble, along with unexploded ordnance.

Additionally, the UN Environment Programme has raised alarms about the potential contamination of about 2.3 million tons of debris, which poses health risks due to asbestos fibers that can lead to various cancers, including throat, ovarian, and lung.

In a touching moment, 11-year-old Mohammed is seen collecting large chunks of debris from his demolished home to crush into smaller stones, which his father intends to use as gravestones for the conflict’s victims—a poignant example of the cleanup efforts underway.

Satellite data from the UN reveals that two-thirds of the buildings in Gaza prior to the conflict—over 163,000 homes—have either been damaged or completely destroyed.

Last October 7, Hamas launched an attack into Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths and over 250 hostages taken. In retaliation, Israel conducted extensive operations in Gaza, leading to nearly 42,000 Palestinian casualties over the past year. Currently, humanitarian supplies from the UN and other aid organizations are facing significant obstacles in entering Gaza. However, the Israeli import licensing system has allowed some opportunistic traders to profit from the situation, significantly increasing prices for essential goods.

According to the Financial Times, the UN’s supplies primarily consist of canned and shelf-stable bulk goods, while private traders are introducing fresh produce and even non-essential items like potato chips, all classified as “humanitarian aid” by Israel.

Israeli military statistics show that in April, only 5% of the aid entering Gaza was from private traders; however, by August and September, that figure skyrocketed to 60%. The Gaza Chamber of Commerce highlighted that between early May and late July, trucks from private traders were present at twice the rate of those from the UN and humanitarian organizations.

Reports indicate that Israeli military operations in Rafah, southern Gaza, have made it increasingly difficult for UN goods to be delivered safely, leading to a substantial decline in the number of trucks from humanitarian organizations entering Gaza this year—down two-thirds from previous figures, marking the lowest level since the conflict began.