Rebuilding Gaza to Cost $70 Billion, UN Reports, Warning of Decades-Long Recovery

The United Nations today warned that the immense task of reconstructing the devastated Gaza Strip will require an estimated $70 billion, with the cost of rebuilding the enclave soaring following two years of conflict.

Dependable NG reports that the figure comes from the latest Interim Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (IRDNA) conducted jointly by the UN, the European Union, and the World Bank. Jaco Cilliers, the UN Development Programme Special Representative for the Palestinians, stated that the bombing has destroyed up to 92 per cent of Gaza in certain areas, with an immediate $20 billion needed in the next three years to initiate recovery. The official emphasized the staggering challenge posed by the estimated 55 million tons of rubble—equivalent to 13 Great Pyramids of Giza.

The UN and humanitarian partners remain on the ground to provide urgent support to the 2.1 million residents, with efforts focused on delivering clean water, emergency employment, medical supplies, and clearing the massive amounts of debris. Rubble removal is critical not only for safety, as it may conceal unexploded ordnance, but also to open access routes for aid delivery.

Cilliers confirmed there are positive indications of funding support from potential donors, including Arab States, European nations, and the United States, all of whom have expressed commitment to the early recovery phase.

In a related development, the UN urged Israeli authorities to open all access points into Gaza, following the signing of a major ceasefire deal supervised by President Donald Trump and the leaders of Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye. Earlier on Monday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres acknowledged the release of all living hostages from Gaza, two years after they were seized during terror attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023.

The UN has already released $11 million from its Central Emergency Response Fund for immediate necessities, adding to last week’s $9 million allocation for essential services and hospital fuel supplies.