Why it matters:
The campaign signals both a humanitarian and symbolic milestone: displaced residents are returning, local institutions are coordinating once again, and early steps are being taken to address the unprecedented challenge of clearing 60 million tons of rubble, one of the largest urban cleanup efforts in history.
The big picture:
After months of intense bombardment by the Israeli regime, Gaza City faces widespread devastation of homes, infrastructure, and public services. The new initiative, backed by UN agencies and civil society groups, is part of a broader push to reestablish essential services, restore dignity to residents, and lay the groundwork for long-term reconstruction.
What they are saying:
Amjad Al-Shawa, Director of the Palestinian NGO Network, said the campaign sends “a shared message to the world that the people of Gaza are capable of bringing life back to their city.”
He emphasized that engineering teams have already begun examining solutions for managing more than 60 million tons of rubble, calling the volunteer-led cleanup “only the beginning of a long process until Gaza returns more beautiful than it was."
UNDP official Alessandro Marakic said, "What we are witnessing today is people returning to their city and regaining part of their dignity by restoring order to the streets." He noted that the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) continues daily solid-waste collection and is preparing winter plans for water and wastewater management.
Key points:
- The “We Will Rebuild Gaza” campaign launched in Gaza City with participation from local NGOs, the municipality, UN agencies, and returning residents.
- Volunteers and UN officials joined cleanup efforts in the city center, clearing rubble, removing waste, and restoring public spaces.
- A woman in a wheelchair holding a “We Will Rebuild Gaza” sign became a symbolic image of the day’s activities.
- Specialized engineering teams are assessing how to handle an estimated 60 million tons of debris left by the destruction.
- UNDP is coordinating with local authorities to maintain daily waste collection and prepare infrastructure systems for winter.
- Machinery, trucks, and community volunteers are working together to restore livable conditions after months of war by the Israeli regime.
Go deeper:
Palestinian Factions Issue Joint Statement on Unity and Gaza Reconstruction
M.Majdi - H.Jalalifar
