Gaza's US$71.4 billion reconstruction effort will fail unless Palestinians lead the process, according to a new report by Oxfam and two Palestinian organisations, which argues previous rebuilding efforts were repeatedly undermined by conflict, restrictions and funding shortfalls.
The report, Building Gaza Anew, says rebuilding the territory will cost more than seven times the combined cost of reconstruction following the major conflicts in 2008–09, 2014 and 2021. It argues that past recovery efforts were never completed before renewed fighting destroyed much of the progress made.
The findings draw on the April 2026 Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment by the United Nations, European Union and World Bank, which estimated Gaza has suffered US$57.9 billion in damage and economic losses and will require US$71.4 billion for recovery and reconstruction over the next decade.
Oxfam, the Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute (MAS) and the Palestine Trade Centre (PalTrade) said reconstruction should be treated as "a matter of rights and reparations, not charity", with Palestinians directing decisions on governance, priorities and implementation.
The report was developed following consultations across Gaza and sets out recommendations for the U.S.-chaired Board of Peace and international donors. It warns that reconstruction plans imposed externally are unlikely to succeed, regardless of the level of financial support.
Oxfam International Executive Director Amitabh Behar said: "Gaza has never been allowed to finish rebuilding. A decade after Israel's 2014 offensive on Gaza, families were still waiting for homes that never came, and then the bombs returned.
"This is not fate. It is Israel's illegal occupation and blockade, and the impunity producing the same result, war after war. Every government that funds the rubble but never the reckoning is complicit in it."
The report comes as international discussions continue over Gaza's future governance and reconstruction, with donors and policymakers debating how rebuilding should be managed alongside longer-term security and political arrangements. Recent proposals have highlighted the challenges of securing funding, establishing governance structures and ensuring reconstruction can proceed without renewed conflict.
Oxfam maintains that lasting recovery will depend not only on financial commitments but also on ensuring Palestinians have ownership of the reconstruction process and are able to rebuild institutions, communities and livelihoods alongside physical infrastructure.
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened further military action as the Iran war escalates, with Iran reporting 18 people killed and 108 wounded ...
Several Moscow airports suspended the reception and departure of flights overnight, days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Russi...
The U.S. Justice Department has warned states they could lose billions of dollars in welfare funding if they fa...
Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) have gathered in Bishkek for a summit focused on trade, investment and transport as the group marks 25 years since its creation.
The U.S. has launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iran, targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) sites as Tehran retaliated against U.S. positions across the region, while Iranian officials said at least five people were killed and dozens wounded at a wedding near Sirik.
Apple is entering a new era as Tim Cook steps down as chief executive after 15 years at the helm, handing the technology giant's leadership to longtime executive John Ternus.
The European Union's foreign policy chief Kaia Kallas says the bloc will tighten enforcement of sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine. EU foreign ministers were meeting in Ireland following renewed Russian strikes on cities across Ukraine.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 1st September, covering the latest developments.
Rescue teams raced on Wednesday to reach dozens of workers believed to be trapped inside hydropower tunnels in Nepal's mountains, a week after a Himalayan flood killed more than 1,200 people.
Iran’s central bank governor has sought to reassure the country’s financial markets, saying Tehran has enough foreign currency reserves despite mounting U.S. sanctions and economic pressure.
The Council of the European Union has agreed to suspend import duties on a range of Armenian products for two years to support the country’s economy, after Russia imposed trade restrictions.
There's a fresh buzz around the Anaklia Deep-Water Port site this week, with the arrival of a second dredging vessel called the Al-Idrisi, which has now entered the waters off the future port to join its sister vessel, the Tristao Da Cunha.
A search-and-rescue operation is under way in the Sea of Marmara after two Turkish-flagged commercial vessels collided off Istanbul early on Wednesday, after one ship sank with 10 crew members aboard.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment