The United Nations and European Union issued a stark warning: human development in Gaza has been set back an estimated 77 years. The cost for recovery and reconstruction over the next decade is projected at $71.4 billion.
The "Gaza Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA)" indicates that $26.3 billion is required in the first 18 months to restore essential services and critical infrastructure.
Physical damage in Gaza is estimated at $35.2 billion, with an additional $22.7 billion in economic and social losses since the escalation of conflict in October 2023. Key sectors like housing, health, education, commerce, and agriculture have been devastated. More than half of Gaza's hospitals are non-functional, nearly all schools are damaged, and the economy has contracted by 84%.
The human toll is immense: over 60% of the population has lost homes, and 1.9 million people are displaced. Local authorities report over 71,000 Palestinian fatalities and more than 171,000 injured.
The report outlines a framework for reconstruction, emphasizing it must run parallel with humanitarian action. It calls for a Palestinian-led recovery supporting governance transition and a political settlement based on a two-state solution. Enabling conditions include a sustained ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access, free movement of goods, and a functional financial system.