Gaza was severely damaged by the conflict between Israel and Hamas (Photo: AFP).
UN agencies have long warned that it could take decades to rebuild Gaza after Israel's military campaign against Hamas, one of the fiercest since World War II.
Now, however, after more than a year of conflict, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) predicts that it could take centuries.
It could take 350 years for Gaza's devastated economy to return to pre-conflict levels, according to a UNCTAD assessment.
Before the conflict, Gaza was under a blockade by Israel and Egypt after Hamas took power in 2007. Israel said the blockade was necessary to prevent Hamas from importing weapons. Israel also blamed Hamas for Gaza's plight.
The current war has caused terrible devastation in Gaza, with roads and infrastructure in ruins after more than a year. Mountains of rubble, decomposing bodies and unexploded ordnance will have to be cleared before reconstruction can begin.
"Once a ceasefire is achieved, if the 2007-2022 growth trend returns, with an average growth rate of 0.4%, it will take Gaza 350 years to restore its 2022 GDP level," the report said.
Even in the most optimistic scenario, with a projected growth rate of 10%, Gaza's recovery would still take decades, the report said.
“Assuming no military activity, free movement of goods and people, significant investment and a population growth of 2.8% per year, UNCTAD estimates that Gaza’s GDP per capita would return to 2022 levels by 2050,” the report analyzed.
Israel launched a military offensive in Gaza in October 2023 after Hamas fired hundreds of rockets at Israel. The conflict has so far killed more than 42,000 Palestinians in Gaza and displaced millions.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/lien-hop-quoc-co-the-mat-350-nam-de-tai-thiet-gaza-20241023160821362.htm
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