Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Israel’s land, sea and air attacks on the Gaza Strip, triggered by the Hamas attack on October 7, have brought large-scale upheaval and destruction to the Palestinian territory.
The following are the latest estimates from international organizations regarding the socio-economic impact of the conflict, as reported by Reuters.
Ruh Ruin Housing
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), citing data from the Palestinian public works and housing departments, said Israeli attacks had destroyed more than 41,000 housing units and damaged more than 222,000 housing units.
Overall, it is said that at least 45% of housing units in Gaza were reportedly damaged or destroyed.
It is difficult to independently verify the number of casualties, but a Reuters report on Gaza said the damage was extensive.
An Israeli reporter taken to visit the Gaza town of Beit Hanoun by the Israeli military reported on Sunday that “almost not a single habitable building remained standing”. More than 52,000 people lived there before the war.
Destruction of Hospitals and Schools
In a November 10 report, OCHA said 279 educational facilities were reported to have been damaged, more than 51% of the total damage, and that none of Gaza’s 625,000 students could access education.
It said more than half of Gaza’s hospitals and nearly two-thirds of primary health care centers were not functioning and 53 ambulances were damaged. All 13 hospitals in Gaza City and northern Gaza have received evacuation orders from the Israeli military.
Water and Sanitation Freefall
OCHA says water consumption has fallen by 90% since the war began. Two of Israel’s three water pipelines are working, but there is a 50% leak from the main pipeline between Rafah, on the Egyptian border, and the southern city of Khan Younis, where many refugees from the north have fled.
“Most of Gaza’s 65 sewage pumps are not working,” OCHA said.
Food Shortages
OCHA said Gaza had enough wheat supplies for 12 days, but the only mill operating in the region was unable to turn wheat into flour due to a power outage.
It said there were no longer any stocks of vegetable oil, pulses, sugar or rice in the region. People queue on average for 4-6 hours to receive half of their normal bread ration.
Access Humanitarian Aid
An average of 500 trucks of food and goods entered Gaza every day before the conflict. All imports were stopped after October 7 and only resumed on October 21. Between then and November 10, a total of 861 trucks carrying humanitarian aid had crossed into Gaza.
Economic Impact
In a joint report, the UN Economic and Social Commission for West Asia (ESCWA) and the UN Development Program (UNDP) said on November 5 that around 390,000 jobs had been lost since the start of the war.
The socio-economic situation in Gaza was already very bad before the war, with the poverty rate estimated at 61% in 2020.
In preliminary estimates, UN agencies said poverty is expected to increase by between 20% and 45%, depending on existing socio-economic conditions. about the duration of the war. They also estimate that the war will cost Gaza between 4% and 12% of its gross domestic product in 2023.
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