On the occasion of World Habitat Day, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) has released a harrowing report detailing the vast scale of housing destruction, displacement, and humanitarian collapse caused by the ongoing Israeli occupation and aggression in Gaza and the West Bank.

According to the data, between October 7, 2023, and July 8, 2025, Israeli forces damaged or destroyed 190,115 buildings in the Gaza Strip, including 102,067 completely leveled to the ground—a figure that doubled the total destruction from the first year of the war.

An additional 41,895 buildings sustained moderate damage, while the total number of affected housing units reached an unprecedented 330,500 during the period from October 2023 to September 27, 2025.

These relentless bombardments have rendered over 2 million Gazans homeless, forcing families to live in makeshift tents, overcrowded schools, and ruined public buildings. Satellite imagery released by the United Nations in September 2025 confirmed that thousands of tents in Gaza had vanished or deteriorated, signaling the deepening humanitarian catastrophe.

Despite continuous evacuation orders issued by the Israeli occupation forces, more than 500,000 Palestinians remain trapped in northern Gaza, many refusing to abandon their homes and ancestral lands even under fire.

A Systematic War Against Civilian Infrastructure

The devastation extends beyond homes. The entire civil infrastructure of Gaza has been brought to the brink of collapse. The PCBS report revealed that 85% of water and sewage facilities are now partially or completely out of service, leaving the population without access to safe drinking water or sanitation.

Reconstruction costs are projected to exceed $1.5 billion, yet no large-scale rebuilding has begun due to Israel’s ongoing blockade and restrictions on the entry of construction materials.

Water availability has dropped to as low as 3–5 liters per person per day, according to humanitarian agencies — far below the World Health Organization’s minimum standard of 15 liters.

“Israel’s destruction of Gaza’s housing and infrastructure is not collateral damage; it is a deliberate policy to make the Strip uninhabitable,” said one PCBS official speaking on condition of anonymity due to security concerns.

West Bank: Ethnic Cleansing Through Demolitions and Settler Terror

The PCBS report also highlighted a sharp escalation of home demolitions and forced displacement in the occupied West Bank, where Israeli forces and settler militias have intensified their campaign of land confiscation and population transfer.

Between October 7, 2023, and May 31, 2025, over 6,463 Palestinians were displaced due to home demolitions carried out by Israeli authorities, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

In addition, 40,000 Palestinians were forced to flee from Jenin and Tulkarem refugee camps amid heavy military raids and bombardments, while 2,200 people were left homeless following violent attacks by armed settler groups.

The situation in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron, remains particularly dire. More than 1,200 residents there face imminent eviction, denial of building permits, and travel restrictions under the pretext of military training zones.

During the first half of 2025 alone, Israeli forces conducted 380 demolition operations, targeting 588 structures, including 322 family homes.

A Nation Crushed Between Demolition Orders and Overcrowded Shelters

Housing density has become an acute problem throughout the occupied territories. According to PCBS, 5% of Palestinian households now live in overcrowded conditions — with rates of 4.8% in urban areas, 3.6% in rural areas, and 10.5% in refugee camps.

The average household consists of 3.6 rooms, dropping to 3.2 rooms in refugee camps, reflecting the dire conditions of displacement and poverty.

Meanwhile, Israel’s restrictions on Palestinian construction continue to tighten. The number of licensed housing units fell from 18,230 in 2023 to just 13,819 in 2024, worsening the already severe housing shortage.

“A Crime Against Humanity”

Human rights organizations have condemned Israel’s destruction of Palestinian housing as a crime against humanity and a violation of international law.

“This systematic demolition of Palestinian homes is not accidental—it is part of a broader strategy of displacement, apartheid, and erasure,” said a statement by the Palestinian Human Rights Network.

On this World Habitat Day, as global leaders discuss sustainable cities and housing rights, Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank face the grim reality of mass homelessness, water scarcity, and life under siege.

For millions, “home” is no longer a place—it is a memory buried under rubble. (ILKHA)