Clearing Gaza of nearly 40 million tonnes of war rubble is projected to be a monumental task that will take years, according to a UN assessment. The operation, expected to cost between £394 million and £463 million, would involve a fleet of over one hundred lorries working for 15 years to remove the debris left by months of intense Israeli offensive. This assessment, published by the UN Environment Programme, highlights the severe impact on Gaza’s infrastructure, with 137,297 buildings damaged—more than half of the total structures in the territory. Over a quarter of these buildings were destroyed, with others severely or moderately damaged.

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has indicated that rebuilding Gaza could extend until 2040 in the best-case scenario, with total reconstruction costs potentially reaching $40 billion. This extensive damage has rolled back the territory’s development by decades, affecting health, education, and overall living conditions. Humanitarian officials have noted the severe damage to critical infrastructure, including schools, health facilities, roads, and water distribution systems.

The challenge of clearing the rubble is exacerbated by the presence of unexploded ordnance, leading to frequent explosions and further casualties. The UNDP’s assessment revealed that the conflict’s impact has transformed the landscape, creating new hills and altering the topography due to the extensive bombing. As Gaza faces this long and dangerous path to recovery, the immense scale of the destruction and the resources needed for rebuilding underscore the urgency for international support and funding.