Besieged territory struggles to recover from last
summer's war with Israel, as pledges of aid fail to materialise. The
people of Gaza are marking a year since the Israeli air raids that heralded the
start of a war that left 2,251 Palestinians dead and thousands more
wounded. The anniversary on Wednesday of last summer's war comes as the
besieged territory struggles to rebuild its infrastructure, and tens of
thousands of its people struggle to access basic amenities.
Al Jazeera spoke to Palestinians who said little was being
done to help them recover and go on with their lives.
One survivor, Ibrahim Abdeldaem, lost his legs in an Israeli
air strike while his family was sheltering at a UN school in Gaza City. His
father and brother were killed in the attack and one year later he said he had
no hope that his life would get any better.
"I am completely destroyed. I've lost my legs. I've lost
my job. I can't leave Gaza because we are under siege on all sides. All I want
is at least one artificial limb to feel like a normal person again,"
Abdeldaem said.
More than 12,000 homes were destroyed in the war and 100,000
damaged.
International donors including the US and Arab Gulf countries
have pledged more than $5bn to help rebuild Gaza.
The director of The United Nations Relief and Works
Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Robert Turner, criticised the
blockade, calling on Israel to end immediately.
"The blockade remains in place and its crippling effect
on Gaza is undeniable, inexcusable," Turner said during a press
conference in the territory on Wednesday.
"I see a real willingness on the part of Israel to
address some of its worst impact."
Israel's economic siege, which has lasted for years, means
badly needed construction materials like cement have not been allowed in,
despite offers by the United Nations to oversee the process.
Around 20,000 Palestinians still live in temporary shelters
ranging from cargo containers to makeshift tents in what is left of their
bombed-out homes.
Two-thirds of the 1.8 million population are recipients of UN
aid in one form or another.
Turner said that help is needed for more than 7,000 homes to
be rebuilt.
The UN official said payments would be issued for the first
time on Wednesday for a limited number of families whose homes were
destroyed, while repairs for damaged houses have occurred.
Seventeen hospitals, 56 primary health facilities, and 45
ambulances were either damaged or completely destroyed during the conflict,
costing Gaza's healthcare system an estimated $50m.
In addition to the Palestinian casualties, at least 73
people, including 67 soldiers, were killed on the Israeli side of the conflict.
Israel
said it was conducting the campaign to put an end to rocket attacks launched by
Hamas and other Palestinian factions, which together fired 4,881 rockets
and 1,753 mortars during the war.
Source:
Aljazeera
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