Gaza, Oct 12 (V7N) – Thousands of displaced Palestinians returning to northern Gaza after the recent cessation of hostilities are finding their homes completely destroyed by Israeli airstrikes, according to United Nations Special Rapporteur Balakrishnan Rajagopal. He has urged Israel to immediately permit the delivery of tents and caravans to the region to provide emergency shelter for the returning population, Al Jazeera reported.

Rajagopal, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, told Al Jazeera on Saturday, October 11, that the areas vacated by Israeli forces in northern Gaza have been reduced to rubble. “People are returning to find nothing but destruction,” he said, adding that the psychological impact and trauma among civilians are “deep and visible” as they attempt to rebuild their lives.

Following Israel’s partial withdrawal on Friday, October 10, thousands of Palestinians began returning to the northern parts of the enclave. Across Gaza, residents have welcomed Israel’s decision to halt aerial bombardments after two years of devastating conflict.

According to UN data, about 92 percent of Gaza’s residential structures have been damaged or destroyed since the start of the war. Millions of displaced Palestinians have been forced to live in makeshift shelters, including tents and temporary camps, under dire humanitarian conditions.

Rajagopal noted that although plans were made earlier this year to deliver tents and caravans to Gaza during a previous ceasefire, almost none were allowed in due to Israel’s tight blockade. “That is, to me, the core of the current crisis,” he said. “Even immediate humanitarian aid cannot reach Gazans unless Israel lifts its control over all entry points.”

He further warned that Gaza’s reconstruction could take generations, drawing parallels to the 1948 Nakba—the mass displacement of Palestinians during the creation of Israel. “What we are seeing now,” Rajagopal said, “is another Nakba unfolding before our eyes.”

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