Israel’s destruction of Gaza has generated almost 37.5 million tonnes of debris throughout the Palestinian territory, UN agencies estimate, and much of the rubble is “laced” with unexploded bombs and other munitions.

The assessment, which measured the amount of debris caused by Israel’s war on Gaza up until February 29, says that clearing the rubble could take 14 years and the worst-hit areas are in the north of the territory, followed by Khan Younis in the south, Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, and far southern Rafah – which Israeli forces once described as a “safe zone”.

The latest situation report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also notes that a “mental health crisis is unfolding in Gaza”.

• “Over 200 days of relentless violence and devastation have further exacerbated psychosocial needs [in Gaza], particularly among more than a million children estimated by UNICEF as requiring mental health and psycho-social support,” OCHA reports.

Health workers exposed to traumatic events in #Gaza are facing a psychological toll, @MSF reports.

Solar-powered desalination plant inaugurated in Rafah.

Nearly 37.5 million tons of debris throughout Gaza, #UN agencies assess.

More: https://t.co/2VlotiRtfh pic.twitter.com/3VMoNc2AgF

— OCHA oPt (Palestine) (@ochaopt) April 29, 2024

Source: Al Jazeera

Header: A Palestinian boy sits on the rubble of a destroyed building after an Israeli strike in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, Friday, Dec. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)