Gaza, now a near-total ruin following 15 months of Israeli military bombardments, faces an immense rebuilding challenge, with costs surpassing $50 billion.
The United Nations, European Union, and World Bank’s recent assessment has revealed the extent of the devastation and the resources required for recovery, reports Al Jazeera.
At a time when Arab states are attempting to thwart plans to displace Gaza’s residents, the United States' former president Donald Trump proposed relocating Gaza’s population to other countries, including Egypt and Jordan, with no possibility of their return.
This proposal has been met with strong condemnation from Arab nations, while Hamas has declared such displacement infeasible.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his hard-right cabinet have, however, expressed their support for the plan.
The recent ‘Gaza and West Bank Interim Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment’ report, published on 18 February 2025, estimates the cost of damages from Israeli airstrikes between 8 October 2023 and 8 October 2024 at $49.3 billion.
The report calls for $53.2 billion for Gaza’s reconstruction, a sum that must be mobilised over the next decade, with $20 billion required in the first three years.
This colossal sum will be largely allocated to repairing the thousands of buildings and vital infrastructure destroyed or damaged during the offensive.
Over 292,000 homes in Gaza have been left either destroyed or severely damaged by the airstrikes.
To meet this immense financial demand, international donors must unite, the private sector’s involvement is crucial, and the supply of construction materials must be greatly increased.
