The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is supporting Palestinians to build safer, healthier communities in Gaza amid the ceasefire. For two devastating years, war has torn through Gaza, upending the lives of Palestinians and destroying properties.
UNDP Clear rubble, rebuild lives in Gaza
Charity Journal findings reveal that, amid consistently challenging conditions, Palestinians, with support from the UNDP, are working on the frontlines of Gaza’s recovery.
According to a report by the UNDP, local crews are clearing dangerous debris, repairing wastewater systems, restoring wells, and delivering clean water to areas in critical need. Through local partners, UNDP projects have hired 2,819 Gaza workers to support these essential services in 2025.
The organization also highlights how a 22-year-old Yousef, displaced ten times since October 2023, now repairs segments of the vital Salah al-Din Road. This route runs almost the entire length of the Gaza Strip and is crucial for transporting people and goods.
“This work is beautiful for me. We are making it easier for people to move around, and people are very happy when they see the work happening,” Yousef said.
Additionally, across Gaza, UNDP teams are also removing and crushing rubble at five sites, processing about 1,500 tonnes per day. Afterward, workers use the crushed material to level roads and shelter sites and to improve access to bakeries, kitchens, and hospitals.
Every repaired road, every litre of clean water delivered and every ton of rubble cleared reflects the determination of Gaza’s own people.@UNDPPalestinian together with the local workforce are restoring the first layers of safety, dignity and stability. https://t.co/yOmQWg9kDK pic.twitter.com/w8nWzPEREc
— UN Development (@UNDP) January 16, 2026
Restoring Hope in Gaza
The UNDP further revealed that to date, crews have repaired over 267 road segments, covering more than 80,000 square metres with this recycled debris. In their interview with Fareq, 54, who operates heavy equipment at the Salah al-Din Road site, he shared that he is happy to be part of this.
“I’m very happy to be part of this work. When people see us working, they get a positive energy, a feeling that our community is starting to recover,” he explained.
Similarly, UNDP says its trucks distribute roughly 1,800 cubic metres of water, enough for 3,000 people around Gaza.
Speaking with Waleed, 33, who recently delivered a tanker to the largest shelter site in Zeitun, north Gaza, which houses 300 displaced families, noted that UNDP first laid a foundation of crushed debris at the site and now supports its daily water supply.
“I feel like I am doing a good deed for people, providing safe drinking water during the crisis. People come running when they see the truck. They wish that there would be more water,” Waleed noted.
