UN-EU-World Bank Joint Report: Gaza Needs $71.4 Billion for Recovery; Human Development Set Back 77 Years

A joint UN-European Union-World Bank damage and needs assessment published on April 21, 2026 determined that Gaza will require more than $71.4 billion over the next decade for recovery and reconstruction — significantly higher than previous estimates of $40–50 billion. The report found that the conflict has inflicted a 77-year setback in human development in Gaza, erasing decades of progress in education, health, and infrastructure. Key findings: $35.2 billion in physical damage; $26.3 billion needed in the first 18 months for essential services; over 371,888 housing units destroyed or damaged; more than 50% of hospitals non-functional; nearly all schools destroyed. The report noted that fundraising for Gaza reconstruction remains critically underfunded — less than $1 billion of $17 billion pledged to the Board of Peace has been deposited, and the $71.4 billion ten-year figure far exceeds current commitments. UN officials called the scale of devastation 'unprecedented in recent history.'