The UN report paints a grim picture of Gaza’s post-war reality, highlighting the immense scale of destruction and the long-term challenges facing its population. With 80 percent of buildings destroyed and 51 million tonnes of debris accumulating over two years, reconstruction efforts are expected to take at least a decade for rubble removal alone, while rehabilitating agricultural land could extend over 25 years. The estimated financial burden of clearing rubble—USD 1.2 trillion—illustrates the unprecedented cost and logistical hurdles involved.
Agriculture, once a cornerstone of Gaza’s economy and food security, has been devastated. Of the territory’s 15,000 hectares of fertile land, only 232 hectares remain cultivable. The collapse of irrigation infrastructure, coupled with soil contamination from explosive chemicals, has rendered nearly all farmland unproductive. Before the war, Gaza exported substantial quantities of strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, and other vegetables, but the destruction of arable land and irrigation systems now threatens the livelihoods of farmers and the region’s food supply for decades.
Health and education systems have suffered similarly catastrophic losses. Nearly all hospitals (94 percent) and schools (90 percent) are damaged or destroyed, leaving the population without essential services. Only a handful of medical facilities remain partially functional, and formal education is nearly halted. With 90 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents homeless and living in tents without basic utilities, the humanitarian situation is dire. Widespread food insecurity has led to more than half of the population facing starvation, compounded by the designation of 80 percent of the territory as a military zone.
The origins of this devastation trace back to October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a large-scale attack on Israel, prompting Israel’s military invasion, Operation Swords Iron. The conflict has resulted in over 66,000 Palestinian deaths, including more than 18,000 children, while tens of thousands of children have lost one or both parents. The cumulative social, economic, and environmental damage is projected to affect Gaza for decades, leaving an entire generation facing trauma, displacement, and economic hardship.
Reconstruction and rehabilitation in Gaza will require unprecedented international support, both financially and logistically. Experts emphasize that without coordinated efforts to remove debris, restore farmland, and rebuild essential infrastructure, the humanitarian crisis will continue to worsen, entrenching poverty and instability across the enclave for the foreseeable future.
