Gaza reconstruction requires Palestinian leadership, joint report warns

A joint report by Oxfam, the Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute (MAS), and the Palestine Trade Centre (PalTrade) estimates that rebuilding Gaza will cost $71.4 billion, a figure seven times the combined cost of previous post-conflict reconstruction efforts over the last two decades. The report, which cites data from the UN-EU-World Bank Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA) released in April, states that the war has killed at least 73,000 Palestinians and displaced 1.9 million. It asserts that reconstruction cannot proceed without direct Palestinian involvement, warning that externally designed plans risk perpetuating control over Palestinian land. The estimated cost includes $26.3 billion required in the first 18 months to restore essential services and clear 66 million tonnes of rubble, which poses significant health and safety risks.

The financial scale of the devastation is underscored by the RDNA, which estimated $57.9 billion in total damage and economic losses. The joint report highlights that human development in Gaza has been set back by 77 years. Misyef Jamil, a senior researcher at MAS, emphasised that reconstruction is a political imperative, stating that plans designed in foreign capitals would merely be a cosmetic exercise. "Our consultations across Gaza carried one unmistakable message: nothing about our future without us," Jamil said, reinforcing the report's central demand for local governance.

Before large-scale rebuilding can commence, the immediate priority is the clearance of 66 million tonnes of rubble. This debris has rendered entire neighbourhoods impassable, particularly for people with disabilities, and poses severe health and safety hazards. The rubble is believed to contain unexploded ordnance, asbestos, and contaminated sewage from damaged infrastructure. Additionally, an estimated 8,000 to 11,000 Palestinians are believed to be buried under the debris, requiring careful recovery and identification with dignity before construction can safely begin.

The report outlines a five-year, four-phase roadmap for reconstruction, with the first two phases requiring $26.3 billion over 18 months. Phase one, focused on emergency relief and stabilisation, is estimated at $10 billion. Phase two, aimed at early recovery and service restoration, is projected to cost $15 billion. These initial stages are critical for reconnecting communities and restoring minimum functioning systems, laying the groundwork for the subsequent phases of infrastructure rebuilding and long-term development.

The final phases of the roadmap involve $25 billion for infrastructure rebuilding and $20 billion for the concluding stage of development. The report argues that Palestinians must be in the driving seat throughout this process to prevent the carving up of Palestinian territories. Working alongside the European Union, Gulf Arab states, Egypt, the UN, and other international agencies, the roadmap aims to restore essential services and rebuild critical infrastructure, ensuring that the reconstruction process addresses both immediate humanitarian needs and long-term political stability.