KUALA LUMPUR, Apr 3: The World Bank and the United Nations (UN), with support from the European Union, released a report on Tuesday estimating the damage to critical infrastructure in Gaza at approximately US$18.5 billion (RM87.8 billion).
According to The Interim Damage Assessment report, the cost of damage is equivalent to 97 per cent of the combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the West Bank and Gaza in 2022.
The report used remote data collection sources to measure damage to physical infrastructure in critical sectors incurred between October 2023 and the end of January 2024.
The report finds that damage to structures affects every sector of the economy.
“Housing accounts for 72 per cent of the costs. Public service infrastructure such as water, health and education account for 19 per cent, and damages to commercial and industrial buildings account for 9.0 per cent,” said the report which can be accessed via The World Bank’s website.
For several sectors, the rate of damage appears to be leveling off as few assets remain intact, it said.
The report also stated that an estimated 26 million tons of debris and rubble have been left in the wake of the destruction, an amount that is estimated to take years to remove.
“More than half the population of Gaza is on the brink of famine and the entire population is experiencing acute food insecurity and malnutrition.
“Over a million people are without homes and 75 per cent of the population is displaced,” it said as it looks at the impact on the people of Gaza.-TVS
