Arab nations, US and Canada ready to fund Gaza’s $70 billion restoration plan: UN
File photo
File photo
(Web Desk): The United Nations has revealed shocking details about the scale of devastation in Gaza, estimating that rebuilding the war-torn region could cost around $70 billion — an amount several countries are now willing to contribute to.

According to Jaco Cilliers, an official from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Israel’s war against Hamas has produced an unprecedented level of destruction, leaving behind nearly 55 million tons of rubble — equal to 13 times the size of Egypt’s pyramids of Giza.

Cilliers stated that European and Arab countries, along with Canada and the United States, have shown readiness to participate in the reconstruction process. However, experts warn that full recovery could take several decades, given the massive scale of damage to homes, hospitals, schools, and infrastructure.

The UNDP emphasized that clearing the debris alone will take years before rebuilding can even begin, making it one of the most challenging post-war recovery efforts in modern history.

The global willingness to invest in Gaza’s rebuilding signals growing humanitarian concern, but challenges remain immense. With millions displaced and infrastructure nearly erased, the recovery process will demand patience, political stability, and sustained international commitment. Analysts believe the world’s response could determine not just Gaza’s future but the region’s hope for peace.

"We ve heard very positive news from a number of our partners, including European partners... Canada" regarding their willingness to help, he told a press conference, adding that there were also discussions with the United States.

Read more: Gaza and West Bank rejoice as freed Palestinians return home under ceasefire deal

Since a ceasefire deal came into effect in Gaza, large numbers of Palestinians have returned to the ruins of their homes in the coastal territory, Reuters reported.

Huge swathes of Gaza have been reduced to a wasteland by Israeli bombardment over two years that killed some 68,000 people, according to Gaza health authorities.

A large part of the destruction is in Gaza City, scene of some of the fiercest fighting. About 83% of all building structures there have been damaged, according to the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT).

UNDP said it had already cleared some 81,000 tons of rubble from the Gaza Strip and was continuing to do so.

Israel launched its offensive after Hamas-led militants attacked the country on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Hamas freed the last living Israeli hostages from Gaza on Monday under the ceasefire deal and Israel sent home busloads of Palestinian detainees, as U.S. President Donald Trump declared the end of the two-year-long war.