The United Nations and several nations have committed a combined $70 billion to rebuild Gaza after two years of Israeli destruction. 83% of homes in Gaza City were damaged or destroyed during the Israeli onslaught.
Jaco Cilliers, an official at the United Nations Development Program, explained that Canada, Europe, Arab countries, and the US had combined to commit $70 billion to the rebuilding of Gaza. The task of rebuilding Gaza will be monumental, as the Israeli bombardment generated at least 55 million tons of rubble that is riddled with unexploded bombs.
Cilliers said it could take decades for Gaza to recover.
However, rebuilding the strip will only begin if the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas holds. The two sides are already trading accusations of violating the pact. Tel Aviv said Hamas is not producing the bodies of the dead Israeli hostages fast enough, and has cut the amount of aid entering Gaza in response.
Israel has devastated Gaza over the past two years. At least 67,000 people are dead, but experts and observers have estimated the actual death toll to be in the hundreds of thousands.
Also, in the millions of tonnes of rubble in Gaza are thousands of bodies. Since the ceasefire took hold, Palestinians have dug out the remains of hundreds of people in three days.
Last week, the UN reported that 83% of all buildings in Gaza City have been damaged or destroyed. By December of 2023, experts were accusing Israel of conducting a “domicide” in Gaza, or the deliberate destruction of all infrastructure to displace a group of people.