After 15 months of relentless Israeli aggression and attacks, the Palestinian Gaza Strip has turned into ruins. The reconstruction of this besieged territory and the response to the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in the war-torn region will require more than $530 billion.
This information was revealed in a United Nations report. The news agency Anadolu reported this on Wednesday (February 12).
According to the news agency, a United Nations report published on Tuesday stated that more than $530 billion would be needed for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. In the short term, over $20 billion will be required in the first three years of reconstruction.
The report by UN Secretary-General António Guterres states:
“It is estimated that $53.142 billion will be needed for the recovery and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip in the short, medium, and long term. Of this, approximately $20.568 billion will be required in the first three years for short-term needs.”
Highlighting the devastating economic and humanitarian impact of the conflict, the report states that Gaza’s economy will shrink by 83% in 2024, and unemployment will reach 80%. The report further mentions:
“Poverty in the occupied Palestinian territories is projected to rise to 74.3% in 2024, up from 38.8% at the end of 2023.”
Guterres emphasized the urgent need to meet humanitarian demands, stating:
“Immediate and short-term humanitarian assistance will require continued focus on life-saving aid to address the crisis.”
The report also recalled that on December 11, 2024, the United Nations appealed for $6.6 billion in humanitarian aid. Of that amount, $3.6 billion was allocated to meet the most critical needs of 2.1 million Palestinians in Gaza.
The first phase of a six-week ceasefire agreement took effect on January 19, 2024. Since then, Israeli aggression in Gaza has ceased. The aggression, which began on October 7, 2023, resulted in the deaths of over 48,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom were women and children. Additionally, more than 111,000 people were injured.
The three-phase ceasefire agreement includes prisoner exchanges, the goal of achieving lasting peace and a permanent ceasefire, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. More than 11,000 people remain missing due to Israeli attacks on the territory.
Despite a United Nations Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, Israel had continued its brutal attacks on the besieged territory for an extended period. Israel has already been accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice.