Gaza's Rebirth May Take Decades and Billions; UN Warns of 'Human-Made Abyss'
The aftermath of two years of brutal conflict in the Gaza Strip is marked by a staggering reality: reconstruction efforts are expected to cost at least $70 billion, with some estimates suggesting it may take several decades to complete. The United Nations has sounded the alarm, describing Gaza as a "human-made abyss" where nearly 2.3 million people face dire economic hardship and extreme poverty.
The UN's trade and development agency (Unctad) report reveals that Israel's military operations have ravaged Gaza's economy, contracting it by an astonishing 87% over the past two years. The territory's gross domestic product per capita has plummeted to just $161, making it one of the lowest globally. Meanwhile, the West Bank is facing a similar crisis, with "violence, accelerated settlement expansion, and restrictions on worker mobility" decimating its economy.
The situation is dire, with most households in Gaza unable to afford basic food items, despite prices dropping sharply in recent weeks. Diets are characterized by limited access to meat, vegetables, and fruit, while cooking gas shortages have forced many families to burn discarded plastic or alternative fuels to cook. The World Food Programme (WFP) reports that the quantity of food consumed daily is still well below pre-war levels.
A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has held since October, but the road to recovery seems daunting. Even with substantial aid, recovery to pre-October 2023 GDP levels could take decades. The international community must now grapple with the challenge of implementing Donald Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza, which calls for an interim technocratic Palestinian government and an international security force.
As Gaza begins its long journey towards rebuilding, one thing is clear: it will require significant investment and sustained effort to restore this war-torn territory to a state of economic viability. The human-made abyss that has been created must be bridged with compassion, understanding, and a commitment to lasting peace.
The aftermath of two years of brutal conflict in the Gaza Strip is marked by a staggering reality: reconstruction efforts are expected to cost at least $70 billion, with some estimates suggesting it may take several decades to complete. The United Nations has sounded the alarm, describing Gaza as a "human-made abyss" where nearly 2.3 million people face dire economic hardship and extreme poverty.
The UN's trade and development agency (Unctad) report reveals that Israel's military operations have ravaged Gaza's economy, contracting it by an astonishing 87% over the past two years. The territory's gross domestic product per capita has plummeted to just $161, making it one of the lowest globally. Meanwhile, the West Bank is facing a similar crisis, with "violence, accelerated settlement expansion, and restrictions on worker mobility" decimating its economy.
The situation is dire, with most households in Gaza unable to afford basic food items, despite prices dropping sharply in recent weeks. Diets are characterized by limited access to meat, vegetables, and fruit, while cooking gas shortages have forced many families to burn discarded plastic or alternative fuels to cook. The World Food Programme (WFP) reports that the quantity of food consumed daily is still well below pre-war levels.
A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has held since October, but the road to recovery seems daunting. Even with substantial aid, recovery to pre-October 2023 GDP levels could take decades. The international community must now grapple with the challenge of implementing Donald Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza, which calls for an interim technocratic Palestinian government and an international security force.
As Gaza begins its long journey towards rebuilding, one thing is clear: it will require significant investment and sustained effort to restore this war-torn territory to a state of economic viability. The human-made abyss that has been created must be bridged with compassion, understanding, and a commitment to lasting peace.
$70 billion for recon? That's insane!!! I mean, the economy contracted by 87%... like, what even is that? 
Most households can't afford basic food items anymore? That's so not right! 
The WFP says people r eating less than before the war... sad 
I dont think even Trump's 20-point plan will be enough to fix this ASAP. It's gonna take yrs and billions of $$ for Gaza 2 b reconstrcted 
. We gotta help, fam! 
dont even get me started on the poverty lvlz, like $161 per capita is literally a joke 
its just too much. i feel bad 4 the ppl livin in that human-made abyss but we gotta come up w/ a plan 2 make it better. aid & investment r crucial, but lets be real, lasting peace w/out some major changes on both sides is gonna b hard 
i feel bad for those families having to burn plastic for fuel 
it's not just about money, it's about people's lives 
gotta see some serious international cooperation on this one 
we need that 20-point plan to actually work 
... how can they recover from all this? It'll be interesting to see if that interim technocratic government thing works out 
We just need to get more people involved in DIY projects and help each other out instead of waiting for governments or corporations to fix things. It's all about community and resourcefulness, you know? 
And 2.3 million people struggling to afford basic food items? That's just heartbreaking. It's not all doom and gloom though, right? Maybe we can learn from this disaster and try to create more sustainable solutions for economic growth in the Middle East? 
I mean, it's going to take decades, but if we put our heads together, maybe we can get Gaza back on its feet eventually. 
thinking about all those ppl strugglin to afford basic food stuffs its like somethin is plumb crazy how can u have $161 per capita in ur economy thats like, what r u even survivin on? 
My heart goes out to those people who are struggling to survive. We need to send more aid, and not just financial help, but also food and medical supplies ASAP. 
we need more than just aid, we need real change 