In the wake of the fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire, thousands of Gazans are returning home to find ruin. More than 60 percent of housing in the enclave is gone or beyond repair. Even more is damaged. And there are some 51 million tons of rubble laced with thousands of unexploded bombs. After all the destruction, where can Gazans live?
The U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal states that no one will be forced to leave Gaza. But it will be an enormous challenge to sustain 2.2 million people within 140 square miles while rebuilding. In fact, this undertaking demands a “radical new approach to post-war reconstruction.” That’s according to RAND's Shelly Culbertson and architects Kobi Ruthenberg and Robert Lane, who authored a recent study showing what rebuilding Gaza could look like.
Their vision starts with future-oriented camps. History shows that temporary camps often become permanent. So, if camps on the city outskirts are laid out like real suburban neighborhoods, with a proper lot and block structure, then people can live in tents or prefab structures that are slowly replaced by buildings.
Another key to recovery is incremental urbanism, an approach that would be helpful in neighborhoods where some buildings remain intact. Gazans would live in the habitable buildings and groups of tents or modular structures. Community hubs would provide residents with sanitation, utilities, and services while repair and reconstruction take place around them.
A smart, well-planned rebuilding effort could do more than help Gaza recover. It could lay the groundwork for a more stable and secure future.
