Rif’at Diab, the program coordinator in the Strip, told the Voice of Palestine Radio that the program finished the first phase of the project which included the reconstruction and rehabilitation of 853 homes.
The Palestinian official statistics show that 3,500-3,600 homes were totally damaged and 50,000 homes partially destroyed during the offensive. According to Amnesty International more than 3,000 Palestinian homes and hundreds of other properties were destroyed during the fighting and more than 20,000 structures were partially damaged.
In addition to private homes, the Israeli forces destroyed factories, workshops, animal farms, orchards, government buildings, police stations and prisons, Amnesty said.
Diab said that the GCC’s program finances the reconstruction of 1,070 damaged homes and the repair of 1,626 partially destroyed ones. The official said that project is financed through the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) in Jeddah.
He added that first phase of the program was implemented by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the Al-Rahmeh Society for Relief and Development and the Palestinian Housing Council.
The coordinator said that second phase of reconstruction is under way. He added that the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), UNRWA, Al-Rahmeh Society for Relief and Development and the Palestinian Housing Council will implement the second phase which includes the reconstruction and rehabilitation of 503 homes.
According to Diab, the third phase of the project will see the reconstruction and rehabilitation of 194 destroyed homes.
The official revealed that the program approved $ 24.5 million for the reconstruction of 550 new housing units.
He commended: “The considerable support of the GCC countries through the Islamic Development Bank for the reconstruction of Gaza Strip and the relief of those affected by the Israeli war.”
