GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Abu al-Ezz Sheikh Dib, 45, spoke about his suffering due to the delayed reconstruction of destroyed houses in the Gaza Strip following the 11-day war. He told Al-Monitor, “My five-story house where 47 of my family members live has been tilting 15 centimeters every day as a result of the Israeli airstrikes during the recent war. It is located on the main street where the Fairouz Towers stand in the west of Gaza City. The foundations of the house have been destroyed, and the civil defense and police have notified me of the need to vacate the house."

He added, “I did not receive a rent allowance after I was informed of the need to vacate the house, which is on the verge of collapse. The first floor was totally destroyed by the strikes. Despite my bad economic situation, I am among the people whose salaries have been cut by the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Ramallah.”

In its latest campaign against Gaza, Israel used the new tactic of destroying the floors of some homes while leaving the whole house standing, which is what happened with Dib’s home.

Bitterly, he noted, “I have cancer, and my wife has chronic diabetes. We are all stranded now. We only get a food basket (provided by Qatar through the Gaza government) that does not meet our food needs.”