Cost of Restoring Life in Gaza

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi spoke about the cost of rebuilding Gaza, affirming that Gaza needs $90 billion to recover from the destruction inflicted over five months of intense war. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) announced weeks ago that Gaza requires a new Marshall Plan to recover from this conflict, referring to the massive plan sponsored by the United States to rebuild Europe after World War II. Previously, the Palestinian Investment Fund estimated that rebuilding housing units alone would require $15 billion, excluding infrastructure and hospitals. The World Health Organization stated that "the ongoing war since October 7 has caused unprecedented destruction requiring decades to repair." In the same context, the United Nations Environment Programme estimated that removing rubble and debris in Gaza could take between 3 to 12 years. The organization also noted that "intensive shelling has led to the destruction of between 70 to 80% of civilian infrastructure, including homes, hospitals, schools, and water facilities that have been demolished or severely damaged."