North Gaza Declared ‘Disaster Zone’

• CrossFireArabia
• January 22, 2025

The Israeli military’s recent genocide and ethnic cleansing have left 80% of northern Gaza in ruins, a Palestinian official said Tuesday.

Areas like the Jabalia refugee camp, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahia have suffered near-total destruction, Deputy Minister of Public Works and Housing in Gaza Naji Sarhan told Anadolu.

“The devastation is absolute, affecting homes, streets and infrastructure, making northern Gaza uninhabitable,” Sarhan said.

More than 300,000 Palestinians are currently homeless, and the impending return of internally displaced people from central and southern Gaza according to the ceasefire agreement is expected to exacerbate the humanitarian crisis, he added.

Sarhan emphasized the urgent need for international support, noting that the reconstruction of northern Gaza will require monumental efforts and global assistance.

During a press conference in Jabalia, Imad Badwan, the head of Beit Hanoun Municipality, declared northern Gaza a disaster zone. He detailed the destruction of roads, water and sewage networks and critical infrastructure, including hospitals, schools and UNRWA facilities that served as shelters.

“Israel’s offensive caused the death or disappearance of over 5,000 people and injured around 13,000, with more than 200,000 displaced,” Badwan said.

He called for immediate aid from UNRWA, the World Food Program and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to address the dire needs of shelter, food, clothing and camp facilities for displaced individuals.

A Gaza ceasefire agreement took effect on Sunday, suspending Israel’s genocidal war that has killed at least 47,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured more than 110,700 since Oct. 7, 2023.

The three-phase ceasefire agreement includes a prisoner exchange and sustained calm, aiming for a permanent truce and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

The Israeli onslaught has left more than 11,000 people missing, with widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis that has claimed the lives of many elderly people and children in one of the worst global humanitarian disasters ever.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants in November last year for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.