Gaza Residents Face Collapse Risks Amid Stalled Reconstruction

The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza has pushed many residents into a precarious living situation, with families forced to occupy buildings that are at risk of collapse. In Gaza City, Heba Arafat, a mother of six, describes her home as a slanted, unsafe living space due to the damage inflicted by Israeli airstrikes. "We were forced to live here because we had nowhere else to go," Arafat expressed, illustrating the desperate circumstances faced by many.

Key Developments

Ongoing Risks in Gaza

According to recent statistics from the United Nations, as of October 2025, an alarming 84 percent of all structures in Gaza had sustained damage or complete destruction. Additionally, Gaza’s civil defense has flagged around 2,000 buildings as potentially unstable. The recent collapse of a six-storey residential building in Gaza City, which claimed 21 lives, underscores the tragic consequences of these risks. Local authorities attributed the collapse to previous airstrikes, while Israeli officials denied any involvement.

Arafat and her family returned to their apartment in Gaza City’s Al-Shati Refugee Camp after a ceasefire agreement was reached in October 2025. However, they found their building severely compromised. "We’re afraid a wall or the roof might fall on us," she confessed, highlighting the constant fear that now accompanies their daily lives.

Humanitarian Consequences

Living conditions for many Gazans have become untenable.

- Health Risks: Outbreaks of skin infections such as impetigo thrive in the overcrowded conditions of displacement camps and damaged shelters, where waste disposal is minimal and hygiene is compromised.

- Displacement Struggles: Many residents have experienced displacement multiple times throughout the conflict, seeking refuge in makeshift homes or overcrowded camps, often lacking basic necessities.

- Cold and Heat Exposure: With summer heat and winter cold approaching, the makeshift shelters are ill-equipped to provide protection, forcing families to make risky housing choices.

Municipal workers in Gaza City are frequently surveying buildings for collapse risks. Spokesperson Hosni Muhanna noted, "These homes pose a genuine threat to the lives of the displaced persons sheltering inside them, as well as to those nearby." Yet, despite these hazards, displaced people often opt to remain in precarious buildings rather than face the hardships of life in overcrowded camps.

The Stalled Reconstruction

The prospects for rebuilding Gaza remain grim. Following the ceasefire brokered in October 2025, reconstruction plans have not materialized, leaving many families in limbo. With reconstruction efforts stalled, a UN and World Bank assessment predicted that Gaza would need an estimated $71.4 billion over the next decade for recovery.

However, restrictions on the entry of vital supplies into Gaza mean that the very tools needed for reconstruction remain out of reach. Large machinery for debris removal or essential spare parts are still subject to strict regulations, severely hampering potential rebuilding activities.

What This Means for Gazans

For the residents of Gaza, the ongoing crisis presents a complex web of challenges. Many families, like Arafat's, find themselves caught between the danger of structural collapse and inadequate shelter options. In a city where destruction and fear are intertwined, the call for urgent humanitarian intervention grows louder.

As the humanitarian condition in Gaza continues to deteriorate, reports emphasize the critical need for both local and international efforts to support safe housing and vital reconstruction. The sheer resilience of families like Arafat's exemplifies their desperate search for safety and stability in an increasingly unstable environment.