Watan-A United Nations study has revealed that a fleet of over 100 trucks would need 15 years to clear approximately 40 million tons of rubble from Gaza, with costs ranging between $500 and $600 million. This report was published by The Guardian on Monday, July 15, 2024.
These findings underscore the massive challenge of rebuilding Palestinian territories after months of Israeli attacks, which resulted in widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure.
Extent of Damage
According to an assessment by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) published last month, 137,297 buildings in Gaza were damaged. This accounts for more than half of the total buildings in the area. Of these, slightly over a quarter were completely destroyed, about a tenth suffered severe damage, and a third sustained moderate damage.
The assessment also indicated the necessity of creating large landfill sites covering between 250 and 500 hectares (618 to 1,235 acres) to manage the waste, depending on the amount that can be recycled.
Rebuilding Timeline and Costs
In May, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) estimated that rebuilding homes destroyed in Gaza during the war could take until 2040 in the best-case scenario, with total reconstruction costs across the sector reaching up to $40 billion.
Erasing Decades of Development
The assessment, part of a fundraising campaign for early planning of Gaza’s rehabilitation, also suggested that the conflict could push health, education, and wealth levels in the sector back to 1980 levels, effectively erasing 44 years of development.
Impact on Infrastructure
A United Nations official working in Gaza told The Guardian last week, “The damage to the infrastructure is immense. In Khan Yunis, there isn’t a single building that hasn’t been destroyed.”
He added, “The actual terrain has changed; there are hills that did not exist before, and the 2,000-pound (907 kg) bombs dropped by Israel have indeed altered the landscape.”
Schools, health facilities, roads, sewage networks, and all other vital infrastructure have also suffered severe damage.