“The scale of the destruction is enormous and unprecedented,” says a UN official. (File)
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A UN agency said Thursday that rebuilding war-torn Gaza will cost an estimated $30 to $40 billion and will require an effort on a scale not seen since World War II.
“The United Nations Development Program’s initial estimates for the reconstruction of… the Gaza Strip exceed US$30 billion and could reach US$40 billion,” said UN Deputy Secretary-General Abdallah al-Dardari.
“The scale of the destruction is enormous and unprecedented… This is a mission that the global community has not faced since World War II,” Dardari said at a press conference in Jordan’s capital, Amman.
He added that if the reconstruction of Gaza were carried out through the normal process, “it could take decades, and the Palestinian people cannot afford to wait decades.”
“It is, therefore, important that we act quickly to relocate people to decent housing and restore normality to their lives – economically, socially, in terms of health and education.”
“This is our top priority and must be achieved within the first three years after the cessation of hostilities.”
He estimated the total debris from bombings and explosions at 37 million tons.
“We are talking about a colossal number, and that number increases every day,” he said. “The most recent data indicates that it is already approaching 40 million tons.”
The UN official also said that “72 percent of all residential buildings were completely or partially destroyed.”
“Reconstruction must be planned carefully, efficiently and extremely flexibly because we do not know how the war will end” and what type of post-war governance will be established in the Gaza Strip
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