Gaza faces immense humanitarian crisis as aid workers confront 61m tonnes of rubble

Aid workers in Gaza are grappling with the immense and perilous task of clearing an estimated 61 million tonnes of rubble, a volume 20 times greater than that generated in all other global conflicts over the past 18 years. This debris is believed to conceal the remains of 8,000 to 10,000 individuals, predominantly women and children, whose families are anxiously awaiting their recovery and dignified burial. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) estimates that removing the majority of this rubble could take between seven and ten years and cost billions of dollars, making it one of the largest such operations in modern history.

The humanitarian teams face significant challenges beyond the sheer scale of the destruction. The rubble often contains unexploded ordnance and hazardous materials like asbestos, posing serious risks to clearance teams. Despite these dangers, aid organizations are working to clear roads to facilitate the movement of aid and residents, with approximately 580km of roads already cleared. However, the process is further hampered by severe shortages of heavy machinery, fuel, and equipment, with restrictions on the entry of such items into Gaza.

The slow pace of recovery, with only about 1.5% of the total rubble cleared so far, exacerbates the anguish of thousands of families unable to locate their loved ones. UN officials have also raised concerns that the ongoing clearance operations by Israeli forces in some areas, without proper regard for potential human remains, could destroy crucial evidence related to alleged atrocity crimes. The humanitarian effort also involves recycling some of the rubble into construction materials for temporary repairs and shelters, highlighting the innovative but difficult solutions being employed amidst the overwhelming devastation.