In the aftermath of two years of relentless conflict, Gaza stands at a crossroads between hope and despair. While recent media coverage has shown jubilant residents celebrating the cessation of hostilities and the arrival of humanitarian aid, the reality on the ground is far more sobering. Despite high-profile promises made at international summits and the arrival of aid convoys, the scale of devastation in Gaza is unprecedented, and the road to recovery appears dauntingly long and complex.
On October 19, 2025, images of Gaza residents rejoicing at the end of war and the arrival of food and medicine flooded both mainstream and social media, offering a glimmer of hope to those following the region’s plight. Yet, as reported by AhlulBayt News Agency, the harsh truth beneath these images is that the humanitarian aid reaching Gaza remains negligible compared to the vast needs of its people. Even if the much-discussed target of 600 trucks per day were achieved, local authorities say it would barely scratch the surface of the crisis faced by hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians.
Assem Al-Nabeh, spokesperson for Gaza Municipality, painted a grim picture of the destruction wrought by Israeli bombing in recent weeks. “Very significant” damage has been inflicted, he explained, with armored vehicles packed with explosives targeting civilian infrastructure. This has resulted in the collapse of road networks, water systems, and sewage lines, plunging the city’s municipalities into an unprecedented challenge. According to a municipal official, Israel has destroyed about 95 percent of trucks and heavy equipment in Gaza, rendering local authorities nearly powerless to address the devastation. The official also confirmed that 193,000 buildings have been completely leveled, with only 16 hospitals left operating at limited capacity.
Perhaps most staggering is the sheer volume of debris: approximately 50 million tons of rubble now choke Gaza’s streets, with about 90 percent of roads in the administrative center destroyed. The immediate priority, local officials say, is to clear this debris—an effort that requires heavy equipment, fuel, spare parts, generators, and new water networks, all of which are in desperately short supply. Municipal teams, working with limited resources, have begun reopening some streets and helping residents access their homes, but these efforts are unsustainable without urgent international intervention. “These efforts will not last long unless international institutions intervene immediately to alleviate the suffering of Gaza’s people,” the official warned.
The numbers are staggering. According to the World Bank and the United Nations, damage to Gaza’s infrastructure had already exceeded $18 billion by early 2024. Now, the predicted cost for full reconstruction over the next decade has soared to $70 billion, with $20 billion needed in the first three years just to restore power, water, housing, and basic services. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) echoed these figures in a recent report, estimating the rebuilding cost at roughly $70 billion. In Geneva, UNDP official Jacques Silier announced that the next phase will focus on mobilizing international funds and launching comprehensive reconstruction programs. “The top priority for donor countries and UN agencies will be to ensure a safe and sustainable reconstruction of Gaza,” Silier stated, emphasizing that the scale of destruction demands a coordinated, multi-phase plan.
Details of such plans are emerging. Engineer Karim Al-Aksar, head coordinator of the Gaza Reconstruction Committee, outlined the Egyptian plan’s phases on On TV. The first phase, lasting six months with a $3 billion budget, will focus on clearing the massive piles of rubble. The second phase, stretching over two years and requiring $20 billion, aims to provide 200,000 makeshift housing units for approximately 1.3 million displaced people. This phase is seen as essential for returning displaced persons and protecting them from the harsh conditions of ongoing displacement. The plan also includes programs to reclaim farmland, vital for reviving agricultural activities and supporting food security in the Strip.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority has announced its own ambitious three-stage plan for Gaza’s reconstruction, with a $67 billion investment over five years. Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa said the first phase requires $3.5 billion for immediate humanitarian needs and critical infrastructure. The second phase, lasting three years, will see a $30 billion investment, while the final phase will address the completion of reconstruction efforts. This plan draws on a UN report from February 2025, which estimated the cost of damage at about $70 billion. According to the BBC’s Fact-Checking Department, more than 60 million tons of debris must be evacuated from Gaza before reconstruction can even begin. Jaco Cilliers, UN Development Agency envoy for Palestinian affairs, reported that the overall level of destruction in Gaza now stands at 84%, rising to 92% in Gaza City.
The situation is compounded by the dire state of public infrastructure. The UN Satellite Center estimates that about 282,000 homes and apartments have been damaged or destroyed, while UNICEF reports that more than 70% of water and sanitation infrastructure is unusable and energy supplies are virtually nonexistent. The war has cut off Gaza from its main energy sources, though Hamas has managed to maintain some power in its tunnels using solar panels. The agricultural sector has also been devastated: a Kent State University analysis found that 82.4% of annual crops and over 97% of tree crops have likely suffered damage. Education is in crisis as well, with UNRWA reporting that about 91.8% of the 288 schools it operated in Gaza have been damaged.
Despite these challenges, international efforts to rebuild Gaza are fraught with complications. The post-2014 war experience demonstrated that financial pledges are not enough—many donors failed to deliver on their promises due to political complications and the absence of effective management systems. Israel’s ongoing restrictions on the entry of construction materials and heavy machinery, justified on security grounds, continue to hamper reconstruction efforts and paralyze the local contracting market. According to the UN Mine Action Service, the clearance of unexploded ordnance and debris—a process that could take between ten and fifteen years—is a prerequisite for any meaningful rebuilding.
Political dynamics further complicate the landscape. While the Palestinian Authority seeks to regain control of Gaza, Hamas internal security forces remain active on the ground. The Authority itself faces a severe economic crisis, with officials’ salaries slashed and the economy dependent on overseas donations. Meanwhile, Qatar and Turkey have taken the lead in reconstruction efforts, sometimes bypassing the Palestinian Authority and potentially strengthening Hamas’s grip on the territory. As Dr. Yoel Guzansky of the Institute for National Security Studies told Globes, “Qatar and Turkey are interested in Hamas as sovereign, and therefore are acting in strict coordination.” In contrast, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have expressed reservations, sending only low-ranking officials to international conferences and demanding reforms before committing to major investments.
Recognizing the need for a broad coalition, the UK, Egypt, and the Palestinian Authority recently convened private sector leaders at Wilton Park to encourage investment in Gaza’s reconstruction. Their joint statement underscored the enormity of the challenge: “Rebuilding Gaza will cost tens of billions of dollars, and will require funding and active participation from the private sector.”
The gap between the media image of calm in Gaza and the grim reality of devastation is profound. As the world watches, the people of Gaza face not only an urgent humanitarian crisis but also a mountain of logistical, political, and economic obstacles. Whether the international community can rise to meet this historic challenge remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the stakes for Gaza’s future have never been higher.