Destruction & Scale - Approximately 68 million tons of rubble bury Gaza, equivalent to about 186 Empire State Buildings [1] - Roughly 81% of structures in Gaza have been destroyed due to Israeli air strikes, ground fighting, and control demolitions [1] - Nearly 123,000 buildings have been destroyed, and another 74,000 buildings have been damaged [2] - An estimated 10,000 bodies are still trapped beneath collapsed buildings [2] Reconstruction & Cost - Reconstruction is estimated to take several years, contingent on a ceasefire and Israel's allowance of heavy machinery for safe debris removal [2] - The UN estimates reconstruction costs will be approximately $70 billion [3] Humanitarian Crisis - Most Palestinians live in tents surrounded by rubble, exacerbated by winter rains [3] - Children and adults are injured weekly by leftover explosives [3]
Gaza Is Under 68M Tons of Rubble. How Will It Rebuild?
The Wall Street Journal·2025-12-23 15:02