The Palestinian government in the Gaza Strip demanded that the implementation of the humanitarian protocol regarding the catastrophic situation be expedited to guarantee the entry of relief and shelter materials urgently and without restrictions.

In a press release by the media office, the government said that in light of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, all parties and mediators must exert maximum pressure on the Israeli occupation.

It added that fully opening the crossings is an urgent necessity to bring in tents and caravans to shelter more than a quarter of a million Palestinian families displaced during the Israeli occupation's genocidal war and as a result of the systematic destruction of the housing sector.

The government further stressed the urgent need to bring in vehicles and equipment for the Civil Defense for humanitarian missions and the recovery of thousands of bodies from under the rubble, as well as operations to remove the rubble of destroyed homes and neighborhoods, to also ensure the continuation of basic services and prevent the collapse of vital sectors. 

The government emphasized the need for infrastructure maintenance equipment for services including the power plant, water networks, and wells.

"The occupation's continued obstruction of these needs exacerbates the deep humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, endangers the lives of hundreds of thousands of civilians, and requires immediate and serious international intervention to stop this humanitarian crime and hold the occupation fully responsible for its consequences," the statement said.

Clearing explosives in Gaza to delay rebuilding for years, MSF warns

Regardless, efforts to rebuild Gaza face immense obstacles, including unexploded ordnance scattered across devastated neighborhoods, according to Doctors Without Borders (MSF). The humanitarian organization warned that clearing these remnants of war will take years, significantly delaying the reconstruction of homes, infrastructure, and essential services.

"People are trying to rebuild from the rubble. Rafah is destroyed, with homes, shops, streets and healthcare facilities in ruins and electricity and water systems damaged. The area is also unsafe due to scattered unexploded artillery in the remnants of buildings, which will take years to clean," said Pascale Coissard, part of MSF's emergency coordination team.

The city of Rafah, which suffered heavy damage during the war, remains largely uninhabitable. Coissard said that without health services and broader humanitarian aid, resuming daily life in many areas of Gaza will remain impossible.

"Health services, including the rest of humanitarian aid, and rebuilding of the city is needed for life to be able to come back to Rafah, but it's still too dangerous for people to return in most areas," she stated, stressing the ongoing risks even after the ceasefire.

Read more: Israeli unexploded bombs threaten returning residents' safety in Gaza