The monumental task of rebuilding Gaza after months of devastating conflict could extend beyond 2035 and require funding exceeding £30 billion, according to authoritative assessments seen by The Independent.
Unprecedented Scale of Destruction
Recent analysis from the World Bank, United Nations, and European Union paints a bleak picture of Gaza's infrastructure devastation. The report indicates that approximately 70% of Gaza's residential buildings have been either completely destroyed or severely damaged, leaving millions displaced and creating a humanitarian catastrophe of staggering proportions.
Economic Collapse and Mounting Challenges
The conflict has triggered what experts describe as one of the largest economic collapses in modern history, with Gaza's GDP plummeting by more than 80%. Beyond the immediate physical destruction, the territory faces:
- Complete collapse of essential services including healthcare and education
- Critical shortages of clean water and sanitation facilities
- Widespread environmental hazards from debris and damaged infrastructure
- A generation of traumatised children without access to schooling
International Coordination Efforts
While international donors have begun preliminary discussions about reconstruction, significant political hurdles remain. The involvement of the Palestinian Authority in post-conflict governance and ensuring reconstruction materials aren't diverted for military purposes represent key challenges that must be resolved before large-scale rebuilding can commence.
Long Road to Recovery
Even under optimal conditions with immediate ceasefire and unrestricted access for construction materials, experts estimate the rebuilding process will span well over a decade. The timeline could extend to 20 years if political complications and access restrictions persist, creating a lost generation of Gazans facing unimaginable hardship.
The scale of destruction is so comprehensive that it dwarfs previous conflicts in the region, requiring a coordinated international response unlike anything witnessed in modern conflict resolution efforts.
