Arabic version: غزة تواجه حاجة إلى 71 مليار دولار للتعافي على مدى العقد المقبل
A new report estimates that Gaza will require over $71 billion for recovery and reconstruction over the next decade. This assessment, released by the European Union and the United Nations, highlights the severe impact of the recent conflict on human development in the region. According to Al Jazeera, the report underscores the urgent financial needs for Gaza’s immediate future.
The report specifies that $26.3 billion will be necessary within the first 18 months to restore essential services, rebuild critical infrastructure, and support economic recovery. Physical infrastructure damages are estimated at $35.2 billion, while economic and social losses are pegged at $22.7 billion. Gaza remains under a fragile ceasefire, which was established in October 2023 following two years of intense conflict initiated by Hamas-led attacks on Israel.
Since the ceasefire, at least 777 individuals have been killed, with 32 fatalities reported in April alone. The Gaza Ministry of Health indicates that the ongoing violence has resulted in the deaths of over 72,500 people since the conflict began. Reports of ceasefire violations by Israel include killings, arrests, and blockades, contributing to the dire humanitarian situation in the enclave.
The UN has reported that the conflict has generated over 61 million tonnes of rubble, effectively entombing entire communities. The assessment indicates that 371,888 housing units have been destroyed or damaged, and more than half of the hospitals in Gaza are nonfunctional. The economy has contracted by 84 percent, with 1.9 million people displaced, many multiple times, and over 60 percent of the population have lost their homes.
The hardest-hit sectors include housing, health, education, commerce, and agriculture, with the conflict reversing human development in Gaza by 77 years. Both the UN and EU have emphasized that the reconstruction efforts should be Palestinian-led and should support the transition of governance to the Palestinian Authority, contrasting earlier suggestions of transforming Gaza into a resort destination.
