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12 Aug, 2014

Gaza homes ‘uninhabitable’ as tens of thousands come back to rubble – The Guardian

Tens of thousands of people across Gaza returned to their homes on Monday as a tenuous ceasefire held and hopes rose of an end to the month-long conflict between Israel and Hamas. Local officials and humanitarian workers began to inspect the latest damage the war had caused in the overcrowded enclave, with assessments indicating earlier estimates may have been optimistic.

In Gaza City, which has a population of half a million, 20%-25% of the housing stock had been damaged, said Nihad al-Mughni of the engineering department.

Mohammed al-Kafarna, the mayor of Beit Hanoun, a northern town which saw fierce fighting and heavy bombardment, said 70% of homes were uninhabitable. “Basically the town is unliveable. There is no power, water or communications. There are not the basics for life,” he said.

via Gaza homes ‘uninhabitable’ as tens of thousands come back to rubble | World news | The Guardian.