This would cost the reconstruction of Gaza after the war, according to UN estimates

The official estimated that if the reconstruction is carried out through the normal process, could “take decades and the Palestinian people cannot afford to wait decades.”

“It is important that we act quickly to relocate the population to decent places and restore their normal life in economic, social, health and educational terms,” ​​said Al Dardari, for whom this must be achieved “in the first three years after the cessation of hostilities.”

The senior official indicated that “72% of residential buildings have been totally or partially destroyed” in the Gaza Strip, where 2.4 million Palestinians live. At the same time, “5% of the Gazan population” has been killed or injured by bombs.

(Also: Embassy of Palestine thanks Colombia after Gustavo Petro’s announcement to break relations with Israel)
​
​”The Human Development Index in Gaza, in all its aspects and especially in health, education, economy and infrastructure, went back 40 years. Forty years of efforts and investments went up in smoke,” he stressed.

The human development index measures indicators such as per capita income, life expectancy and education.

“Reconstruction must be planned thoroughly, effectively and in an extremely flexible manner, since we do not know how this war will end,” he stressed.

Palestinian GDP fell 8.7% in 2023 and the forecast for this year is that it will plummet by 25.8% (the equivalent of $6.9 billion). If the conflict continues for another three months, the drop would rise to 29% this year.

(You can read: ‘Colombia cannot be an accomplice’: Foreign Ministry pronounces on breaking relations with Israel)

All sectors have been affected, but none like construction, which fell by 75.2%. Unemployment stands at 46.1%, compared to 25.7% before the war, and the poverty rate is projected to rise from 38.8 to 46.1%. if the conflict lasts three more months.

“The unprecedented levels of human loss and material destruction and the sharp increase in poverty in such a short period “will precipitate a serious development crisis that endangers the future of future generations.”adds the report.

To get an idea of ​​the level of destruction, the UNDP points out that only the transfer of materials for the reconstruction of homes destroyed since the beginning of the war “will take until 2040” in an optimistic scenario.

“The level of destruction in Gaza is such that the aid needed would be of a magnitude not seen since 1948 to rebuild public infrastructure, including schools, hospitals and other health and water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, and resume basic social services.” , according to the report.

The war broke out on October 7, when Islamist commandos killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapped about 250 in southern Israel.

(Continue reading: Hamas considers President Petro’s decision to break relations with Israel ‘a victory’)
​
​Israeli authorities estimate that after a hostage exchange for Palestinian prisoners in November, 129 people remained captive in Gaza and that 34 have died since then.

The air and ground offensive launched by Israel against Gaza has so far left 34,596 dead, the vast majority of them civilians, according to the Ministry of Health of the Hamas government in that Palestinian territory.