Bassam al-Sheikh, an officer from the Az-Zahra Municipality Emergency Committee, says they are waiting for permission to enter northern Gaza after Israel reneged on an agreement to allow Palestinians to cross the Netzarim Corridor and return to their homes, Al Jazeera reports.

Once they are allowed, al-Sheikh explained they will first “open the streets, make sure that we have [nothing] dangerous or explosives”.

“We know that Israeli forces have destroyed all the buildings, all the villas, all the infrastructure in the city so we will make shelters,” al-Sheikh told Al Jazeera.

He added that it will “take time” to rebuild Gaza following the intense Israeli attacks across the enclave.