Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced Monday that Egypt will host a conference on rebuilding Gaza, following a cease-fire and a deal for a hostage-prisoner exchange.
"Egypt will work with the United States in coordination with partners in the coming days to lay the foundation for the reconstruction of the (Gaza) Strip, and we intend to host an early recovery, reconstruction and development conference," he said.
Egypt, the U.S., Türkiye, and Qatar signed a declaration as the guarantors of the Gaza deal on Monday aimed at ending two years of Israel’s genocidal war that killed at least 67,000 people and leveled more than 90% of the Palestinian territory.
After two years of Israeli bombardment, Gaza lies in ruins, with vast destruction to homes, hospitals, schools and infrastructure.
A joint assessment by the World Bank, European Union and United Nations estimates recovery will cost at least $53 billion, with $20 billion needed in the first three years. The report says housing alone accounts for nearly a third of total losses, while the health sector faces over $7 billion in damages.
Gaza’s water, energy and education systems are also near collapse, leaving millions without basic services.
Experts warn rebuilding could take decades unless Israel eases restrictions on the entry of construction materials.
