Gaza

In the recent escalation of May 2021, 61,000 housing units were damaged or destroyed, of which 9,500 had moderate to severe damage, and 1,600 housing units were destroyed and rendered uninhabitable, leaving 9,500 people displaced. According to the MSNA, 85 per cent of households that had their homes damaged as a result of hostilities had no capacity to repair. As of September 2021, a total of 12,500 remain internally displaced, 9,500 of whom from the May escalation and 3,000 from previous escalations.

Gaza is one of the most densely populated areas in the world, with 2.11 million Palestinians living in an area that is 365 km2 with a population density of 5,800 per square kilometres. Gaza suffers from a chronic housing shortage of 120,000 units, with an annual average of 14,000 housing units needed to meet natural population

growth. While the occupation remains a major driver of shelter needs in Gaza, the housing crisis is impacted by a combination of different factors; escalations, the blockade and the high costs of construction, and limited economic opportunities as a result of over 14 years of Israeli restrictions on the import of building materials and equipment, the deteriorating socio-economic situation, and recurring waves of hostilities.

Based on a field assessment of 45,000 housing units in Gaza implemented by the Ministry of Public Works and Housing (MOPWH) from June to December 2019, around 21,300 inhabited housing units across Gaza were found to be substandard. This means that they do not meet the minimum requirements for adequate115 living space, protection from adverse weather, hygiene facilities and privacy, and require different degrees of rehabilitation. The assessment revealed that another 7,000 units were beyond repair. Based on the MSNA data, 14 per cent of the surveyed housing units in Gaza reported living in critical shelter conditions (damaged buildings, tents, collective shelter, containers, makeshift shelters, unfinished/damaged buildings). 62 per cent reported damage to their shelter (large cracks/ opening in the walls and roof, broken/ cracked windows, broken exterior doors). In addition, there are 28,000 individuals registered with Ministry of Social Development at risk of eviction for not being able to pay the rent. According to the MSNA WASH analysis, some 130,000 people in Gaza who live in ground floors located in low depression areas, or next to sewage pumping stations, are at constant risk of flooding during the rainy season

This is primarily due to the lack of proper storm water drainage, and limited winterization preparedness.

WestBank

According to the MSNA, over 73,000 Palestinians in need of shelter assistance live in the West Bank including Area C, East Jerusalem and the H2 area of Hebron city.

The restrictive and discriminatory planning and zoning regime applied by Israel in Area C and East Jerusalem makes it virtually impossible for Palestinians to obtain building permits, thus impeding the development of adequate housing and infrastructure. Public (also called ‘state’) land is almost exclusively allocated to Israeli settlements or for military training (Area C: 30 per cent fire zones, 36 per cent state land, 14 per cent natural reserves117), while most of Palestinian land is private and zoned as agricultural, where construction is severely restricted. The resulting housing deficit, alongside the risk of demolition, is a significant ‘pushfactor’ for residents of Area C and East Jerusalem to relocate elsewhere in the West Bank. Between January and September 2021, there was a surge in demolitions 72 per cent higher than same period of 2020, with a total of 240 residential structures demolished or confiscated (70 per cent in area C, 29 per cent in East Jerusalem and 1 per cent in area A and B), rendering 960 people, half of whom children, homeless and in need of urgent shelter assistance.

In Area C alone, there are over 15,500 demolition orders pending against Palestinian structures. In East Jerusalem, the shortage in housing units and high rental costs push people to find other alternatives in nearby communities such as Bethlehem, Aanta, Ram, and Abu Dies. Moving outside of Jerusalem’s municipal boundaries puts Palestinian Jerusalemites at risk of losing their residency rights. The risk of home demolition, the unaffordable housing market, and settler takeovers of Palestinian homes are key challenges facing Palestinians in East Jerusalem. Some 218 families are at risk of eviction, primarily due to court cases filed by Israeli settler organizations