UN Agency Estimates $70 Billion Needed to Rebuild Gaza Amid Vast Destruction

---

Massive Reconstruction Costs Highlight Scale of Gaza’s Devastation

A United Nations development agency has estimated that rebuilding Gaza will cost approximately $70 billion, a figure that underscores the unprecedented scale of destruction from the most recent round of conflict. The report, released as part of an interim rapid damage and needs assessment conducted jointly with the European Union and the World Bank, stresses that full recovery could span decades. The assessment also states that around $20 billion will be needed within the next three years to address immediate humanitarian and reconstruction priorities, including shelter, utilities, and essential infrastructure.

The scale of devastation revealed in the report is staggering. Analysts estimate that 55 million tons of debris now cover the Gaza Strip. To visualize that amount, experts noted it would be enough debris to blanket all of New York City’s Central Park under 12 meters of rubble—or to construct 13 large pyramids similar to those found in Giza, Egypt.

Clearing the Rubble: A Monumental Challenge

According to Jaco Cilliers, the program director overseeing the assessment, removing the debris alone could take a decade or more. Cilliers described the situation as “one of the largest urban cleanup and recovery efforts in modern history,” comparing it to building a wall around Central Park and filling it completely with rubble.

During early rubble-clearing operations, workers have uncovered human remains, with at least three bodies recovered during preliminary cleanup phases. The discovery serves as a somber reminder that the physical destruction remains deeply entwined with human loss and unresolved trauma. Teams involved in the cleanup continue to work with care and precision to navigate contaminated zones, collapsed buildings, and unsafe structures that remain at risk of further collapse.

Layers of Crisis: Infrastructure, Health, and Livelihoods

The assessment paints a grim portrait of Gaza’s infrastructure. More than 60% of residential buildings have been damaged or destroyed, including tens of thousands of apartment blocks leveled to the ground. Hospitals, schools, and electricity networks have been decimated. Water and sanitation systems—already fragile after years of strain—are operating at fractional capacity, leaving hundreds of thousands without clean water.

Health officials face mounting challenges. The destruction of medical facilities has forced many doctors and nurses to work in temporary or overcrowded mobile clinics. According to humanitarian organizations operating in the region, diseases linked to poor sanitation and displacement are now spreading at alarming rates. The report also highlights widespread mental health trauma, particularly among children who have spent months living in emergency shelters or tents.

The economic toll further compounds the crisis. The local economy, largely dependent on small manufacturing, agriculture, and informal trade, has ground to a halt. More than 80% of Gaza’s population now lives below the poverty line, and unemployment—already among the highest in the world before the conflict—has reached devastating new heights.

Comparing Past Reconstruction Efforts

The devastation in Gaza dwarfs that seen in previous conflicts. After the 2014 conflict, international donors pledged about $3.5 billion for reconstruction, but the delivery process was slow and hampered by political constraints and logistical barriers. Even then, full recovery was never achieved before new waves of violence erupted.

In contrast, the current damage assessment suggests that the rebuilding effort ahead will be more challenging than the post-war reconstruction of Mosul, Iraq, or Aleppo, Syria—both cities that suffered extensive destruction but had larger land access and external labor flows to support rebuilding. Gaza’s limited border crossings and tightly controlled imports of construction material add layers of complexity that few other post-conflict regions face.

Experts point out that in Mosul, rubble removal alone required nearly two years and cost more than a billion dollars; in Gaza’s case, with about ten times the debris, recovery could easily stretch far beyond a decade without a comprehensive and coordinated international effort.

Economic Implications for the Region

The estimated $70 billion reconstruction bill has potential ripple effects across the wider region. Neighboring economies such as Egypt and Jordan could experience both burdens and opportunities from the international response. Egyptian construction firms, for instance, may see an uptick in demand for materials and skilled labor, while Jordanian logistic hubs might become critical gateways for equipment and humanitarian goods.

However, the scale of required aid risks straining already tight international donor resources. The Middle East is grappling with multiple humanitarian crises, from Lebanon’s continued economic collapse to ongoing instability in Yemen and Sudan. Allocating tens of billions toward Gaza’s recovery could force a major reprioritization of global humanitarian funding.

Analysts also note that reconstruction will require not only money but sustained coordination between UN agencies, international NGOs, regional governments, and private investors—something historically difficult to achieve in protracted conflict zones.

Obstacles to Rebuilding

Even if funding is secured, practical challenges abound. Significant areas of Gaza remain inaccessible due to safety concerns and unexploded ordnance. The region’s electricity grid has been largely destroyed, impeding the operation of cement factories and construction equipment. Transport arteries, including roads and bridges, have been badly damaged, making it difficult to move materials or personnel.

Moreover, the blockade on building materials that has characterized prior reconstruction efforts may continue to impede progress. Cement, steel, and heavy equipment imports are subject to tight restrictions. Without major policy changes and coordinated border management, rebuilding efforts are likely to be slow, fragmented, and costly.

For local communities, the prospect of rebuilding homes and neighborhoods can feel distant. Many residents have moved multiple times since the onset of the conflict, seeking safety in overcrowded shelters or temporary camps. Reestablishing stable communities will require not just rebuilding structures but restoring schools, clinics, and small businesses that sustain daily life.

Human and Environmental Impact

The environmental repercussions of the destruction are vast. Rubble and debris often contain hazardous materials, including asbestos and heavy metals, posing long-term health risks. Wastewater systems damaged during fighting have led to the contamination of aquifers and coastal waters. Environmental reconstruction—an often-overlooked aspect of post-war recovery—may cost billions on its own.

Humanitarian experts warn that without careful environmental management, rehabilitating Gaza’s land and infrastructure could inadvertently trigger secondary crises, such as waterborne illness outbreaks and agricultural collapse. The UN assessment recommends an integrated reconstruction framework that links environmental cleanup with health, housing, and economic recovery efforts.

International Response and Donor Dynamics

Major donor nations and regional organizations are now evaluating how they can contribute to the effort. Previous international pledges have sometimes gone unfulfilled, leaving reconstruction projects stalled midstream. To prevent a repeat of those shortfalls, the UN is proposing a “multi-track financing mechanism” to improve accountability and accelerate disbursement.

This approach would combine bilateral grants, development loans, and private-sector partnerships. The World Bank has suggested that part of the financing could come from a special global reconstruction fund modeled after those used in Ukraine and post-tsunami Indonesia. Transparency, however, will be critical to ensure effective allocation of the tens of billions needed.

Long Road Ahead

While the $70 billion estimate represents only a preliminary calculation, it underscores the magnitude of what lies ahead. Reconstruction at this scale will not only depend on financial commitments but also on political stability and sustained international engagement.

For Gaza’s civilians, the path forward will be arduous. The physical scars of shattered neighborhoods mirror the region’s broader social and psychological wounds. As cleanup crews continue to sift through rubble—and as the international community debates how to mobilize the needed support—residents wait anxiously for signs that rebuilding can begin in earnest.

In the words of one UN official involved in the assessment, the challenge is not merely about rebuilding structures, but about “rebuilding hope.”