During the two months of conflicts last summer, many Gazans have lost their houses and were forced to move to makeshift camp or schools. The reconstruction pace being very slow, the need for emergency shelters is still important. ACTED teams have been able to distribute 500 shelter boxes to families that had their houses completely destroyed.
The boxes comprised 1 tent for 5 to 6 persons, 6 blankets, groundsheet, a kitchen set, a fuel stove, and a fuel bottle.
Approximately 18,000 houses were destroyed or severely damaged during the conflicts making the need for emergeny shelters crucial.
The conflicts have left 108,000 Gazans homeless. The tents have enabled some of those affected families to return to their land.
Children have been particularly affected by the conflicts as among the 2,205 palestinians victims, 521 were children.
The situation is very dire and the reconstruction very slow. 100,000 Gazans are still homeless and not a single demolished house has been rebuilt.
“Life after the conflicts continued to be unbearable, still the harder it gets the stronger I become and the more determined I am to live a decent life with my children, wife and mother. This tent enabled me to stay in my own land where with all my determination I will try to rebuild my home.” Mohammed and his two sons received a shelterbox to replace the house Mohammed had finished to build a week before the war.
“My sister’s house was partially destroyed yet she was kind enough to offer us a place to stay. We could not stay long there and I felt so sad and I wished I could go back home. I would like to thank you for providing us with the tent which allowed us to live in front of our destroyed home and now we don’t need anyone’s pity,”