Palestinian Factions in Gaza Urge Israel to Lift Restrictions on Reconstruction

Palestinian women during a protest calling for lifting the blockade on Gaza. (AFP)
Palestinian women during a protest calling for lifting the blockade on Gaza. (AFP)
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Palestinian Factions in Gaza Urge Israel to Lift Restrictions on Reconstruction

Palestinian women during a protest calling for lifting the blockade on Gaza. (AFP)
Palestinian women during a protest calling for lifting the blockade on Gaza. (AFP)

Palestinian factions in Gaza have demanded that Israel lift the restrictions on the reconstruction of the Strip, following the latest round of military escalation in May.

The National and Islamic Forces Committee held a conference on Sunday stating that the Israeli blockade and the closure of crossings are no longer acceptable, and reconstruction must begin.

Committee coordinator Khaled al-Batsh said the forces are giving the ceasefire mediators a chance to end the siege, allow the entrance of construction materials and guarantee freedom of movement.

He warned that if these efforts fail, the Palestinian people will have no choice but to confront the Israeli occupation to regain their “right to dignity and freedom.”

He stressed the need to end the continuous human suffering that affects all groups, namely those with chronic diseases, in light of the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Batsh called for urgent regional and international action to open the Gaza Strip crossings, end the suffering and allow the entrance of reconstruction materials.

Israel has severely restricted the movement across the Gaza crossings with the eruption of clashes with armed factions in Gaza on May 10.

Egypt brokered a ceasefire agreement to end the 11-day conflict, which killed more than 250 Palestinians and 13 Israelis and led to extensive destruction of homes and infrastructure in the enclave.

Later, Israel allowed a partial opening of the crossings and the entry of basic humanitarian aid while maintaining broad restrictions on imports, including the access of construction materials and export operations, according to Palestinian sources.



As Sudan's Army Retakes Ground, Some Displaced Residents Return to Ravaged Capital

Plumes of smoke rise during clashes between the Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum, Sudan, September 26, 2024. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
Plumes of smoke rise during clashes between the Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum, Sudan, September 26, 2024. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
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As Sudan's Army Retakes Ground, Some Displaced Residents Return to Ravaged Capital

Plumes of smoke rise during clashes between the Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum, Sudan, September 26, 2024. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
Plumes of smoke rise during clashes between the Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum, Sudan, September 26, 2024. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo

The morning sun cast long shadows as Abdulilah Mohamed, an elderly resident of the Shambat neighborhood in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, returned to his family home after fleeing from civil war.

The streets, now strewn with debris and remnants of conflict, led him to a structure barely standing after two years of fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces.

"They left nothing behind, they took everything and destroyed everything," he lamented, referring to the RSF as he stood amid the broken walls of his house and the fragments of his family's belongings.

"I came here specifically to assess the situation and see the life, so that my family doesn't come and get confused about what to do. I came first, and then I can evaluate the situation for them here," he added.

Mohamed is one of millions who once lived in the greater capital area, which includes the cities of Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri, and were forced to flee when war broke out in April 2023 amidst a power struggle between the army and the RSF ahead of a transition to civilian rule.

Entire neighborhoods in Khartoum were flattened, though some parts of Omdurman managed to retain access to utilities, Reuters reported.

Now, as the army pushes back RSF fighters and regains ground in the capital, a cautious trickle of residents is making the journey home.

Huda Ibrahim, who fled to Port Sudan - more than 800 km (500 miles) from the capital—said the longing to return had never faded.

"We were forced to stay away," she said, while on a bus en route to Khartoum.

Mohamed Ali, the driver, noted a shift in mood.

"You can sense that their sense of security has grown,” he told Reuters.

But for many, the road home is lined with uncertainty. This conflict has devastated the nation, claiming countless lives and displacing millions.

"Their war now is not a war against the government, it's a war against the citizens and destruction," Mohamed says.

The return of more residents hinges on the government's ability to rebuild.

Rayan Khaled, a young woman who returned from Egypt, highlights the lack of services and electricity as major obstacles.

"I believe that if the government could provide electricity to the people [...] everyone would return to their homes," she said.