Gaza reconstruction moved a step forward on Tuesday, when Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa said his government had sent the executive programme of its Gaza recovery and reconstruction plan to foreign governments and international organisations.
Mustafa spoke after a weekly cabinet meeting in Ramallah. He said the Gaza reconstruction programme sets out a strategic vision for rebuilding the Gaza Strip and lists recovery priorities. He said the government and its international partners were ready to begin work as soon as conditions on the ground allow, given the humanitarian and security problems in Gaza.
The Gaza reconstruction plan builds on the Arab Plan for Recovery, Reconstruction and Development in Gaza, endorsed at an Arab summit in Cairo in March 2025. It sets out a five-year framework worth about 67 billion dollars, covering 56 programmes across 18 sectors, including housing, infrastructure, social services, the economy and governance.
Gaza reconstruction plan in three phases
The programme is structured in three sequential phases. The first is a six-month emergency phase focused on early recovery, valued at 3.5 billion dollars. The second is a three-year reconstruction and recovery phase valued at about 30 billion dollars. The third phase covers the rest of the programme.
The early recovery phase will focus on clearing debris and restoring basic infrastructure and services. It will also provide transitional housing, cash assistance and cash-for-work programmes, and support for small enterprises and agriculture to revive livelihoods. Mustafa presented the plan to about 100 international and diplomatic representatives at a meeting in Ramallah on 16 October, according to the Qatar News Agency.
Gaza reconstruction funding and the Cairo conference
The Gaza reconstruction plan will be carried out in close coordination with line ministries, national institutions and international partners. Mustafa said coordination was under way with United Nations agencies, donor countries and international organisations to ensure recovery efforts in Gaza are carried out in a coordinated and integrated manner. One month after the ceasefire, Egypt will convene a reconstruction conference in Cairo to mobilise international resources and partnerships.
In July, the European Commission launched a Team Gaza Initiative worth 883.6 million euros for early recovery, bringing together the European Commission, the European Investment Bank, the World Bank and the governments of Spain, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Germany, Norway, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden and Belgium. The initiative is based on a rapid damage and needs assessment for Gaza published in April by the European Union, the United Nations and the World Bank.
Winter adds urgency to Gaza reconstruction
Mustafa urged the United Nations and relief agencies to act quickly to help thousands of displaced families facing worsening conditions as winter approaches. He warned that many living in low-lying areas could face flooding and other risks without immediate assistance. The Gaza reconstruction programme is meant to rebuild Gaza as an open and connected part of the state of Palestine, in line with United Nations resolutions and the New York Declaration.
Updated international estimates put the damages, losses and needs in Gaza at more than 67 billion dollars. Mustafa said Gaza’s recovery will be led by Palestinian institutions with global support, and he urged global support for a Palestinian-led and Arab-backed reconstruction. The first phase will begin once a ceasefire and funding are secured.
The Gaza reconstruction plan also depends on the ceasefire holding and on the disarmament of Hamas, a task assigned to the Gaza Peace Board. Mustafa said his government wants to work with the board of peace to ensure it does its part to prepare for reconstruction efforts. He said it will take more than two years to fix Gaza, but the aim is to make sure things move in the right direction.
Mustafa confirmed that a Palestinian reform plan is being developed with international partners. He noted that Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan are donors and key stakeholders in the Palestinian cause. The prime minister’s office said the government operations room for emergency interventions in Gaza has started operating through joint committees of ministries and government agencies, alongside field teams in Gaza, to assess damage on the ground in preparation for reconstruction.