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The UN is racing against time to expand humanitarian relief and prepare for the monumental task of rebuilding Gaza, as a fragile ceasefire holds but tensions loom over a potential resumption of fighting.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no time to lose,\u201d said the head of the office responsible for UN reconstruction efforts (UNOPS), Jorge Moreira da Silva, during a briefing in New York via videolink from the Middle East, following his visit to Gaza this week.<\/p>\n
The devastation he witnessed was stark: \u201cBy one estimate, 40 million tons of debris and rubble were generated by the conflict, which will take years to remove.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n While the ceasefire has allowed for a scale-up in humanitarian operations, Mr. Moreira da Silva underscored that the pause in hostilities is far from enough.<\/p>\n \u201cI reiterate the call for a permanent ceasefire and the release of all hostages without delay,\u201d<\/strong> he stressed.<\/p>\n UNOPS, which plays a pivotal role in Gaza\u2019s humanitarian logistics and in many other crises where the UN is providing relief across the world, has dramatically increased fuel deliveries since the ceasefire began.<\/p>\n Currently, 1.2 million litres are being supplied daily\u00a0<\/strong>to sustain critical services such as hospitals, telecommunications equipment and bakeries.<\/p>\n Visiting the European Hospital in the main southern city of Khan Younis close to the Egyptian border, Mr. Moreira da Silva heard firsthand accounts from doctors working under unimaginable conditions.<\/p>\n There have been \u201csurgeries without anaesthetic, post-surgery infections due to lack of antibiotics, infants dying due to the lack of electricity powering the incubators\u201d and urgent cancer surgeries postponed for over a year, he recounted, describing the extreme pressures on Gaza\u2019s health system.<\/p>\n Prior to the war, UNOPS had installed hybrid solar systems at the hospital to provide a sustainable energy supply. But the systems have now been rendered inoperable \u2013 another casualty of the conflict.<\/p>\n \u201cAs we look to recovery and reconstruction, this is a reminder about the crucial need to invest in renewable energy,<\/strong>\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Beyond fuel provision, UNOPS is engaged in crucial debris removal and mine action efforts to address the growing risk of unexploded ordnance<\/p>\n The scale of the destruction poses a logistical and financial challenge likely to persist for years.<\/p>\nFuel and life-saving services<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Clearing the rubble<\/strong><\/h2>\n