UN outlines timeline and cost of rebuilding Gaza
Photo: The UN believes that the reconstruction of Gaza will take decades (Getty Images)
The reconstruction of the Gaza Strip will require around $70 billion and could take decades to complete, UN representative Jaco Cilliers said during a briefing in Geneva, Deutsche Welle reports.
On October 14, he stressed that once the ceasefire takes effect in Gaza, reconstruction work must begin as soon as possible. The first step, he said, is to clear the rubble and remove more than 55 million tons of debris from destroyed buildings in the cities.
Cilliers stated that according to a rapid damage and needs assessment conducted jointly by the UN, the European Union, and the World Bank, the reconstruction of Gaza will require about $70 billion.
The task of these organizations, in addition to determining the scale of destruction, is to set priorities for which areas should be rebuilt first and where to focus efforts.
The UN official noted that not all areas are likely to be rebuilt.
Cilliers added that roughly $20 billion will be needed for reconstruction efforts in the first three years alone.
However, he declined to give a specific timeframe for the full completion of Gaza's rebuilding process, saying it could take several decades depending on the level of financial support received.
On October 13, US President Donald Trump and the leaders of three Middle Eastern countries signed an additional peace agreement on Gaza in Egypt. The content of the document has not yet been disclosed.
That same day, Hamas released all Israeli hostages captured during the October 2023 invasion and handed over the remains of those killed.
On October 9, the parties signed the first phase of Trump’s peace plan, which calls for a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip and the release of all hostages by both sides.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump unveiled a peace plan aimed at ending the war in the Gaza Strip.
The plan includes 20 points and envisions the creation of an international Peace Council to oversee the work of the Palestinian regional administration committee.
