Dozens of participants gathered in the city centre, including UN officials and residents who recently returned from the south of the Strip. Among them was a woman in a wheelchair holding a sign reading “We Will Rebuild Gaza”, symbolising broad public support for the initiative.

Amjad Al-Shawa, Director of the Palestinian NGO Network, said the campaign sends “a shared message to the world that the people of Gaza are capable of bringing life back to their city”. He noted that engineering teams specialising in rubble management had already begun exploring ways to handle more than 60 million tonnes of debris from destroyed homes and infrastructure.

“Today’s volunteer campaign is only the beginning of a long process until Gaza returns more beautiful than it was,” he said.

UN officials also joined Saturday’s cleaning efforts. Alessandro Marakic of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) said the work marked an important first step for communities returning to shattered neighbourhoods.

“We are here with the local authorities, civil society organisations and the Chamber of Commerce to start the cleaning operations. What we are witnessing today is people returning to their city and regaining part of their dignity by restoring order to the streets,” he said.

Marakic added that UNDP continues to run daily solid-waste collection and is preparing winter-season plans to ensure proper water and wastewater management as the city struggles to restore basic services.

The campaign saw machinery and trucks deployed across Gaza City to clear rubble, while workers and volunteers removed waste and cleaned public areas. Organisers say it forms part of a broader push to revive essential infrastructure and restore daily life after the prolonged conflict.

–UN/ChannelAfrica–