Wed Feb 19 01:48:08 UTC 2025: ## $53 Billion Needed to Rebuild Gaza After Devastating War: UN, EU, and World Bank Report

**GAZA CITY** – A joint report by the United Nations, European Union, and World Bank reveals that a staggering $53.2 billion is needed to rebuild Gaza over the next 10 years following 15 months of intense conflict with Israel. The “Gaza & West Bank Interim Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (IRDNA)” details the immense scale of destruction, estimating $49 billion in damages between October 8, 2023, and October 8, 2024. The report highlights that approximately $20 billion is urgently required within the first three years.

The assessment reveals that housing infrastructure suffered the most significant damage, accounting for 53 percent of the total destruction – more than 292,000 homes were destroyed or damaged, requiring $15.2 billion in reconstruction funds. A further $29.9 billion is needed for the repair of damaged buildings and key infrastructure. Social and economic losses, including the crippling of the health, education, commerce, and industry sectors (with 95% of hospitals non-functional and an 83% economic contraction), amount to an estimated $19.1 billion. The long-term cleanup, encompassing unexploded ordnance removal and the clearing of millions of tons of rubble, also poses a significant challenge.

The report’s release coincides with a fragile ceasefire, prompting concerns about the feasibility of large-scale reconstruction. The uncertainty surrounding Gaza’s future governance and the ongoing threat of renewed conflict significantly impact the prospects for recovery.

This assessment contrasts with a previous estimate of $18.5 billion in damages released in April 2024, reflecting the escalating cost of the prolonged conflict. The report’s findings come amidst competing proposals for Gaza’s future: a controversial plan by U.S. President Donald Trump to displace Gaza’s 2 million residents, which has been met with strong opposition, including from Egypt which is spearheading an alternative Arab-led reconstruction plan aimed at keeping the population in place. This plan, potentially backed by up to $20 billion from Arab and Gulf states, is currently under discussion and will be further considered at an Arab summit in Cairo on March 4th. Israel has expressed conditional support, emphasizing its opposition to any plan that allows Hamas to maintain political or military power within Gaza.

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