What Damages Gaza Has Suffered Since the War and the Cost of Recovery

The UN working group on debris management plans to launch a project in collaboration with the Palestinian authorities to clear rubble in Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah cities in Gaza. Alessandro Mračik, head of the UN Development Program (UNDP) division in Gaza, has estimated that removing all the debris from the enclave will cost around $1.2 billion.

According to UN satellite data, more than 163,000 buildings have been damaged or destroyed in Gaza, amounting to two-thirds of all pre-war structures in the enclave. About one-third of these buildings were multi-story.

According to the organization's estimates, there are currently 42 million tons of waste in Gaza, and it may take up to 14 years to clean it up. At the same time, Mračik mentioned in an interview with Reuters that up to 10,000 unidentified bodies may be buried under the rubble. Some debris poses significant danger because unexploded bombs are beneath it.

Data from the UN Environment Program indicates that 2.3 million tons of waste could be toxic. In this context, the past year has seen 1 million cases of acute respiratory infections reported in Gaza. A potential cause of illnesses, in particular, may be asbestos dust, which can lead to cancer if inhaled. World Health Organization representative Bisma Akbar has stated that the dust raises serious concerns as it may contaminate water and soil and lead to lung diseases.