Gaza set back 77 years, $71.4 billion needed to rebuild after genocide, UN–EU–World Bank report finds
A drone view shows the destruction in a residential neighborhood of Gaza City after the withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the area, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, 21 October 2025
The Palestine Chronicle reports on 20 April 2026:
A joint assessment by the European Union, the United Nations, and the World Bank has estimated that Gaza will require $71.4 billion for recovery and reconstruction following two years of war.
The Gaza Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA), released in April 2026, provides a comprehensive evaluation of the destruction caused between October 2023 and October 2025, as well as the scale of resources required for recovery.
According to the report, $26.3 billion will be needed within the first 18 months alone to restore essential services, rebuild critical infrastructure, and stabilize the economy.
Destruction Across All Sectors
The assessment found that physical damage to infrastructure reached approximately $35.2 billion, while economic and social losses totaled $22.7 billion.
Housing was identified as the most severely affected sector, accounting for $18 billion—more than half of total physical damage.
Other heavily impacted sectors include:
- Commerce and industry: $6.35 billion in damage.
- Transport: $3.2 billion.
- Water and sanitation: $1.7 billion.
- Health and education systems also sustained extensive losses.
The report notes that the scale of destruction is “unprecedented,” exceeding levels recorded in previous wars in Gaza.