As the conflict between the US-Israel and Iran occupies the world’s attention, a new report has found that years of war in Gaza, causing its near-total demolition, have set back human development there by 77 years.
The United Nations says recovery and reconstruction efforts in Gaza will cost $23.6 billion in the first 18 months alone, just to restore essential services, rebuild critical infrastructure and support economic recovery.
The report by the UN and the European Union, with input from the World Bank, says the damage to physical infrastructure is estimated at $35.2 billion, and economic and social losses at some $22.7 billion since the war began following Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attacks in southern Israel and Israel’s subsequent bombardment of Gaza.
Gaza’s economy has contracted by 84 per cent, more than 371,000 housing units in Gaza have been destroyed, more than half of Gaza’s hospitals are “non-functional”, and nearly all schools are destroyed or damaged, it says.
Gazan health authorities, who are associated with Hamas, say 777 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since a truce between Israel and Hamas began in October, bringing the overall death toll to more than 72,000 since the start of the war.
AP, Bloomberg
