Heavy fighting broke out in Gaza last summer after Israel launched Operation Protective Edge. The devastating 50-day conflict that followed came to a halt a year ago today, when the Israelis and Palestinians agreed to an indefinite ceasefire.
The conflict had catastrophic consequences. Tens of thousands of homes were destroyed, leaving 100,000 people homeless. More than 2,000 Palestinians were killed. Six Israeli civilians and 64 Israeli soldiers were also killed.
According to Avaaz, an online activist network, the reconstruction of Gaza could take 17 years due to severe restrictions on the import and export of raw building materials; 35 prominent aid organizations including Avaaz, Oxfam, and World Vision International are publicly calling for an end to the Gaza blockade.
Meanwhile, Gazans continue to live amid rubble that serves as an everyday reminder of the war.
Photographs by Ezz Zanoun
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A family in Shuja'eya using plastic wrapping to cover the bombarded walls of their home and to divide the rooms one year after the war and zero reconstruction. Gazans are still trying to adapt to live in their destroyed homes and lead a normal life despite everything.
Cement is one of the main materials needed for reconstruction, and it is on the Israeli list of products that are not allowed into Gaza. The cement factory has also been bombed, so rebuilding relies on salvaging remains from ruins.
Daily life in Shujae'yya one year after the war ended. People still live in the rubble of their destroyed homes, while the destruction of the homes and infrastructures make it hard for people to move around, and even harder for children to play.
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