DaysofPal– The Hamas Movement said that a joint United Nations–European Union report assessing damage and recovery needs in the Gaza Strip reflects the magnitude of the unprecedented humanitarian and economic catastrophe caused by Israel’s genocidal war and underscored the need for urgent and effective international action.
In a press statement, Hamas said the report’s estimate that Gaza requires more than $71 billion for reconstruction and its call to immediately launch a recovery program to restore basic services and rebuild critical infrastructure confirm the gravity of the humanitarian situation in the Strip, where over 2.25 million people are facing the absence of the most basic elements of life.
Hamas accused the Israeli occupation of systematically working to deepen the suffering of the people in the Gaza Strip and obstructing all efforts at recovery and the rebuilding of essential civilian infrastructure, describing this as an extension of a brutal war of extermination targeting the Palestinian people and their existence on their land.
The movement called on the United Nations, Arab states, the European Union, and international mediators to press for the creation of a binding mechanism for Gaza’s reconstruction and to mobilize an effective international stance that would stop the extremist Israeli government from exploiting humanitarian aid and the suffering of innocent civilians for political purposes.
It urged that the Israeli occupation be compelled to implement its obligations under any ceasefire agreement, particularly those related to humanitarian aspects.
Earlier, the UN and EU estimated that Gaza would need about $71.4 billion over the next decade for recovery and reconstruction, following two years of war in the enclave.
According to the joint assessment, some $26.3 billion of that would be required in the first 18 months to restore basic services, rebuild vital infrastructure, and support economic recovery.
In their final report on the rapid damage and needs assessment for Gaza, prepared in cooperation with the World Bank, the UN, and EU stressed that the recovery program must begin immediately, in parallel with ongoing humanitarian efforts.
They warned of a disastrous impact on human development in Gaza, noting that current indicators suggest a setback equivalent to 77 years.
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