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Published on 23 Jul 2026
After more than two and a half years of continuous bombing, people in Gaza are now facing a severe shelter crisis.
The amount of physical damage is estimated in tens of billions of dollars, but the reality is measured by the voices of people: families without water or electricity; children sleeping in torn tents; and rats breeding under the nearby garbage.
More than 92 percent of homes have been damaged or destroyed by Israel’s war, according to the United Nations.
Families are building shelters wherever they can, building tents on the ruins of their homes, covering falling mosques with plastic sheets, or sewing together buildings with whatever materials are available.
At least 850,000 people are in need of emergency shelter assistance, lacking even basic items such as plastic sheets, ropes and plywood, according to the Palestine Shelter Cluster.
Israel’s continued restrictions on the entry of essential goods to replace, rehabilitate and strengthen settlements are preventing humanitarian organizations from responding at the necessary level.
Housing needs were already critical following the six-month lockdown before the October 2025 ceasefire.
