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.
Pakistan has reaffirmed its support for Saudi Arabia after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, warning that threats...
The Turkmenbashi International Seaport has launched pilot cargo transit operations using the electronic TIR system on the Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan-Uzbe...
Afghanistan and Uzbekistan have agreed to advance studies for the Trans-Afghan railway during talks in Uzbekistan on Wednesday, as both countries seek...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 22nd of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 23rd of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The United States has bombed Iran for an 11th consecutive night as the Pentagon says the war’s cost reach $37.5 billion. President Donald Trump threatens a heavy strike on the suspected Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site. Tehran warns that any attack could trigger a wider regional escalation.
U.S. strikes on Iran entered a 12th consecutive night, while Yemen's Houthis said they attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, urging President Donald Trump to warn Tehran it would be held responsible for any future Houthi attacks.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier have discussed regional developments, transport connectivity, energy cooperation and the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process during talks in Berlin.
Pakistan has reaffirmed its support for Saudi Arabia after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, warning that threats to Pakistani maritime interests could justify the lawful use of force.
The Turkmenbashi International Seaport has launched pilot cargo transit operations using the electronic TIR system on the Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan transport corridor, marking a step towards fully digital customs procedures across the region.
Afghanistan and Uzbekistan have agreed to advance studies for the Trans-Afghan railway during talks in Uzbekistan on Wednesday, as both countries seek to expand freight links between Central and South Asia.
Months of progress against hunger in Gaza are at risk of being reversed as aid funding runs out and relief operations are scaled back, with a new assessment warning that two-thirds of the population could face acute hunger by the end of the year.
Türkiye and Syria are aiming to increase annual bilateral trade to $10 billion as Ankara strengthens economic ties with Damascus under Syria's post-Assad government.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment