During his election campaign in October, Donald Trump was asked whether Gaza could be rebuilt. He replied: “Gaza may be better than Monaco,” adding, “It has the best location in the Middle East, the best water, the best everything.” Ever the real estate developer, one might think Trump’s response indicated business opportunities. In fact, it appears that the possibility of Gaza reconstruction has been discussed within the Trump family, as just a few months earlier, Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, had commented that Gaza’s “coastal assets … could be very valuable.” Is.”
Optimists may interpret Trump’s comparison to Monaco as a vision to transform Gaza – a 41-kilometre-long and 10-kilometre-wide strip of land – into a thriving hub of prosperity and tourism. After all, Monaco is synonymous with luxury and wealth. Supporters of this view might argue that Trump was expressing an idealized aspiration for Gaza’s potential. However, such statements ignore the enormous obstacles such as decades of conflict, political instability, staggering numbers of deaths and widespread destruction of infrastructure. Kushner’s comment about Gaza’s “coastal wealth” may have highlighted its economic potential due to its Mediterranean location, a feature often attractive to trade and tourism. But his words trivialized the grave humanitarian crisis in Gaza, a region suffering extreme poverty, massive unemployment and extremely limited access to essentials like clean water and electricity.
It’s as if Trump were reassuring Californians after the devastating wildfires: ‘Don’t worry, guys, I’m going to make your homes and infrastructure better than ever.’
Unfortunately, such statements run the risk of seeming indifferent to the immediate suffering of the Gaza population. The flat land is facing one of the world’s most serious humanitarian crises, with 90% of its people dependent on international aid. In addition to the devastation caused by recent events, the region’s deep-rooted challenges – including political divisions between Hamas and Fatah, the Israeli-Egyptian blockade and cyclical violence – remain. These harsh realities, which existed long before the Hamas attacks of October 7 in 2023, underscore the significant work ahead for any reconstruction effort.
an elusive truce
Even though Israel sent senior officials, including Mossad chief David Brunia, to Doha for ceasefire talks on Saturday, airstrikes have continued in Gaza, deepening the plight of its 2.3 million residents, most of whom are now homeless. The destruction since Hamas’ deadly attacks on Israel has been so widespread that experts believe rebuilding Gaza may be nearly impossible. Although the talks could lead to a ceasefire and the release of about 100 Israeli hostages held by Hamas, the future of Gaza remains uncertain. Without a concrete reconstruction plan and a timeline agreed upon by all stakeholders, the way forward is bleak. According to various recent reports from the United Nations and the World Bank, restoring Gaza’s homes, infrastructure and shattered economy could take decades and require billions of dollars.
An irreversible tragedy?
UN agencies have repeatedly warned that it could take decades to rebuild Gaza after Israel’s offensive against Hamas – one of the deadliest and most destructive military operations since World War II. Before this devastating war, Gaza was already suffering due to the Israeli and Egyptian blockade imposed after Hamas seized power in 2007. Years of division between Hamas and the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, as well as four previous wars between Israel and Hamas, had already devastated Gaza. economy
The current war has left Gaza in shambles, with entire neighborhoods wiped off the map and vital infrastructure reduced to ruins. Roads are impassable, most hospitals are out of operation and most UNRWA-funded schools are now little more than mountains of debris. Those that survived have become human shelters. More than 50 million tons of debris – including decomposing bodies and active ordnance – will need to be cleared before reconstruction can begin, with experts estimating the process will take more than a decade. To put the destruction in perspective, many experts have said that despite being less than half the size of the capital Kiev, Gaza’s devastation rivals that of Ukraine after two and a half years of war.
This destruction is not limited to Gaza. In the West Bank, Israel canceled the work permits of approximately 150,000 Palestinians after the October 7 attacks, cutting off an important source of income for families. A military crackdown, which Israel says aims to target militants, has disrupted everyday life, with army raids and checkpoints bringing economic activity and movement to a halt. The ripple effects have been devastating, as unemployment in the West Bank has risen from 13% to 32% and more than 300,000 jobs have been lost since the Hamas attacks.
The economic hit is staggering. Gaza’s economic output fell to just over $221 million in the six months between late 2023 and early 2024 – a fraction of the $1.34 billion recorded in the same period a year earlier.
Israel clarified its position
Israel says the blockade is necessary to prevent Hamas from obtaining weapons and holds the terrorist group responsible for Gaza’s dire conditions. The Israeli response to the UN reports was blunt. Its ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, responded to the report, saying: “As long as the people of Gaza remain under the occupation of Hamas, there is no future for them.” But Netanyahu is under pressure to come up with a credible and practical reconstruction plan for Gaza, which he has not yet done.
decades to rebuild
In a September 2024 report, Mutassim Allagra, coordinator of UNCTAD assistance to the Palestinians, emphasized the huge challenge in rebuilding Gaza: “If we want to return Gaza to its pre-October 2023 situation, we will need tens of billions of dollars or more. Even more is needed, and decades.” Achieving the ultimate goal of putting Gaza on a path to sustainable development will require even more time, resources and global commitment. Shelter Cluster, a global NGO, estimates that it will take 40 years to rebuild Gaza if there is no further war and the blockade is eased.
As violence continues, prospects for reform and reconstruction remain grim. Without urgent international action and a comprehensive recovery plan, Gaza risks becoming a permanent humanitarian disaster.
survive on assistance
It is important to emphasize that the people of Gaza have been dependent on foreign aid since Israeli forces left the Strip in 2006 after 38 years of occupation. After the 2006 elections, Hamas and Fatah remained at loggerheads, resulting in Fatah led by Mahmoud Abbas coming to power in the West Bank and Hamas forming a government in Gaza. The United Nations agency UNRWA has been working in both Palestinian territories since 1949. UNRWA’s budget for 2023 was more than $1 billion. It received another $100 from NGOs and individual donors
Here is a non-exhaustive list of aid that Gaza has received over the years:
- From 2014–2020, UN agencies spent approximately $4.5 billion in Gaza. More than 80% of that funding was channeled through the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. About 280,000 children in Gaza attend UNRWA-run schools, which also provide health services and food aid.
- Qatar has provided $1.3 billion in aid to Gaza since 2012 for construction, health services and agriculture. This included a pledge of $360 million in January for 2021 and another $500 million in May 2021 for post-war reconstruction. Qatar’s aid also went to needy families and helped pay salaries for the Hamas government.
- The Palestinian Authority is believed to have spent $1.7 billion on Gaza in 2020, mainly on salaries for thousands of civil servants who stopped working after Hamas took power in 2007.
- Egypt promised $500 million in aid following the May 2021 war, but it is unclear how much was delivered. It certainly sent construction crews to clear away debris over the summer.
- Germany and other European countries pledged to spend about 70 million euros ($80 million) on water projects in Gaza that year, in addition to their contributions to UNRWA.
- The US spent at least $5.5 million on cash assistance and health care in Gaza that year, in addition to contributing $90 million to UNRWA operations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. America was the largest donor to UNRWA.
- Israel provided work permits to 10,000 Gazans, providing an important source of income for families with no known ties to Hamas.
Who will pay the bill?
Even if Israel agrees to a plan to rebuild Gaza after a possible ceasefire, the critical question is: Who will bear the cost? Israel is highly unlikely to finance reconstruction, fearing that doing so could be construed as an admission of guilt. Notably, after the brief 2010 war, Israel contributed over $10 million to the reconstruction of Gaza, but many within Israel criticized this move, arguing that it implied culpability. .
Wealthy Arab states such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have often linked reconstruction aid to achieving a permanent solution to the Palestinian issue – including the establishment of a full Palestinian state. Qatar has always been a generous donor, but will it help again? It remains to be seen. However, Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has made it clear that his plans do not match such aspirations. He has rejected the idea of a Palestinian state, rejected Hamas rule and suggested indefinite Israeli control over Gaza’s security. Netanyahu has proposed outsourcing civilian administration to local Palestinians, but there is no clarity on how such an arrangement would work in practice
Equally severe is the human toll of the war, which has left deep mental and physical scars on thousands of survivors. More than 46,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Hamas attacks on October 7, while vast numbers have died in the West Bank. Israel has also suffered tragedy, with Hamas’ initial attacks killing more than 1,200 and taking more than 250 hostage. The trauma for families on both sides is likely to be deep and long-lasting, complicating the prospects for healing and reconciliation.
India’s role
Any meaningful transformation of Gaza will require more than economic investment; It will demand solutions to deep political, social and humanitarian challenges.
India has consistently advocated dialogue as a path to peace in West Asia. In a podcast interview on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India’s commitment to peace: “I am for peace, and I will cooperate in every effort for it. I say this to Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Palestine. This has increased our credibility.” India has also been steadfast in its support for a two-state solution for the Palestinians, a position aligned with many other countries.
India’s vision is one of hope. History may forget the destruction of Gaza, but ultimately, it will honor the vision and resilience of those who stepped forward to transform it into something extraordinary. Perhaps, as Trump suggested last October, Gaza could one day be like Monaco – a symbol of hope and prosperity where despair once reigned.
(Syed Zubair Ahmed is a London-based senior Indian journalist with three decades of experience with the Western media)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
