United Nations: Israel is carrying out a “house massacre” in Gaza

The Gaza Strip is witnessing massive destruction affecting hundreds of thousands of residential buildings and main and secondary road networks, severely exacerbating the already dire humanitarian and living conditions of its residents.

The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing, Balakrishnan Rajagopal, confirmed that the Israeli army is carrying out a “housing massacre” in the Gaza Strip, continuing to demolish homes under flimsy pretexts.

Rajagopal stated in a press conference: “What is happening in Gaza during the ceasefire constitutes a form of genocide. Despite the ceasefire in Gaza, the occupation continues to kill, demolish homes, and obstruct the delivery of sufficient humanitarian aid. None of the ceasefire provisions have been effectively implemented.”

He added, “A body should have been established to monitor ceasefire violations and hold parties accountable for breaches. The current situation is not significantly different from what it was before the ceasefire, except for the cessation of large-scale airstrikes, while the killing, demolition, and obstruction of aid delivery continue.” In his remarks, he indicated that the situation of displaced people in Gaza is “extremely catastrophic,” emphasizing that more than 288,000 Palestinian families lack adequate shelter.

According to estimates by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the number of buildings damaged by the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip has reached more than 190,000, including more than 100,000 that were completely destroyed, leading to the displacement of more than one million Palestinians who were forced to live in camps.

Regarding the road network, the Gaza Municipality reported that the main and secondary road network, totaling approximately 900 kilometers, suffered extensive damage, with 42% of the network sustaining total damage, 14% sustaining partial damage, and 38% sustaining minor damage.