Overview
- UNOSAT satellite analysis finds about 193,000 buildings—roughly 78% of structures across Gaza—are damaged or destroyed, rising to 83% in Gaza City.
- UNEP estimates at least 4.9 million tonnes of debris may contain asbestos and about 2.9 million tonnes may hold hazardous industrial waste, posing serious long-term health risks if mishandled.
- Nearly two-thirds of the debris was generated in the first five months of the war, with a further eight million tonnes added from April to July 2025, largely in Rafah and Khan Younis.
- A ceasefire reported on October 10 has opened space for reconstruction planning, yet the debris’ sheer density—more than 169 kilograms per square meter—underscores the daunting clearance challenge.
- A forthcoming report by UN rapporteur Francesca Albanese accuses the United States and the European Union of complicity in alleged crimes in Gaza, with wider publication slated for October 28.