A joint assessment by the United Nations, the European Union, and the World Bank has found that human development in Gaza Strip has been pushed back by 77 years due to the ongoing war, with an estimated $71.4 billion required over the next decade for recovery and reconstruction. The Gaza Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment reports that $26.3 billion will be urgently needed within the first 18 months to restore essential services, rebuild infrastructure, and revive the economy.
The devastation follows the outbreak of full-scale conflict after the October 2023 Hamas-led attacks on Israel, with total physical damage in Gaza estimated at $35.2 billion and an additional $22.7 billion in economic and social losses. Key sectors such as housing, healthcare, education, agriculture, and commerce have been severely impacted. More than 371,000 housing units have been damaged or destroyed, over half of hospitals are no longer functional, and nearly all schools have been affected, while the economy has shrunk by 84 percent.
The human toll has been equally severe, with more than 60 percent of Gaza’s population losing their homes and around 1.9 million people displaced, often multiple times. According to local authorities, over 71,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 171,000 injured, with many still missing beneath the rubble. Vulnerable groups, including women, children, and people with disabilities, continue to suffer the most.
The report outlines a framework for recovery that links immediate humanitarian aid with long-term reconstruction efforts in both Gaza and the West Bank. It aligns with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803 (2025), which supports a broader political plan for ending the conflict and rebuilding governance structures, including a transitional administrative mechanism.
The UN and EU stress that reconstruction must be led by Palestinians and support governance under the Palestinian Authority, while advancing a long-term political solution based on two states. They highlight that progress will depend on key conditions such as a sustained ceasefire, unrestricted humanitarian access, restoration of essential services, and the free movement of people and materials. Effective governance, financial transparency, debris clearance, and the resolution of land and property issues are also seen as critical steps, alongside coordinated international support to fund and implement recovery efforts.
