Gaza reconstruction estimated to cost over $71 billion

A joint assessment by the United Nations and the European Union, developed in coordination with the World Bank, estimates that over $71.4 billion will be required over the next decade to support recovery and reconstruction in the Gaza Strip. The report follows two years of conflict that has resulted in a catastrophic humanitarian crisis and unprecedented loss of life.

Of the total estimated cost, $26.3 billion is needed within the first 18 months to restore essential services, rebuild critical infrastructure, and support economic recovery. The assessment breaks down the damages into $35.2 billion for physical infrastructure and $22.7 billion for economic and social losses.

The scale of destruction is extensive: approximately 371,888 housing units have been damaged or destroyed, more than 50 percent of hospitals are non-functional, and nearly all schools have been impacted. Additionally, roughly 1.9 million people, representing almost the entire population of Gaza, have been displaced.