Board of Peace Unveils $2.45 Billion Blueprint to Begin Gaza Reconstruction

NEW YORK — The U.S.-backed Board of Peace has unveiled a $2.45 billion, six-month blueprint aimed at beginning the reconstruction and establishment of post-war governance in Gaza.

The 66-project plan covers temporary housing, debris and unexploded-ordnance removal, hospital rehabilitation, infrastructure, economic recovery and the deployment of a multinational security force.

The blueprint was presented on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, as international efforts continue to translate the Gaza ceasefire framework into a broader reconstruction and governance arrangement.

About $1 billion of the proposed package is allocated to infrastructure projects, including temporary shelters, rubble and unexploded-ordnance clearance, hospital rehabilitation, road repairs, water and electricity systems and border-crossing infrastructure.

The plan also proposes the deployment of 25,000 portable solar-power kits to help restore basic services across Gaza.

Security-related projects account for about $885 million. The package includes funding for a permanent facility in Rafah capable of supporting up to 5,000 personnel from the planned International Stabilization Force, alongside recruitment, training and deployment of a multinational security contingent.

Funding is also proposed for Palestinian police and a weapons buy-back programme intended to encourage armed groups to surrender weapons and ammunition.

Beyond immediate reconstruction, the blueprint proposes measures to support the development of a functioning Palestinian administration and economy.

These include a digital identification system, digital payments, expanded telecommunications, electronic health and education systems, grants for small businesses and the creation of a Gaza investment fund.

The Board and Palestinian authorities have said the recovery process should be Palestinian-led and based on Palestinian ownership.

The scale of the proposed first phase is considerably smaller than the estimated long-term reconstruction requirements.

The Board estimates physical damage in Gaza at about $35.2 billion, while full recovery and reconstruction could require approximately $71.4 billion over the next decade.

The $2.45 billion package is therefore intended as an initial phase rather than the total cost of rebuilding Gaza.

However, implementation remains dependent on unresolved political and security issues, including the disarmament of Hamas, further Israeli military withdrawals, deployment of the International Stabilization Force and the establishment of a new Palestinian administration.

These issues have complicated efforts to move from the ceasefire framework to the reconstruction phase.

The proposed international security deployment is expected to play a central role in creating conditions for reconstruction and maintaining security during the transition.

Uganda has announced that it will contribute troops to the International Stabilization Force for Gaza, placing the country among states expected to participate in the proposed post-war security architecture.

The Board of Peace blueprint therefore provides new details on the scale of the planned reconstruction effort and the security arrangements expected to support it.

The programme will ultimately depend on the resolution of the outstanding political and security questions and the ability of international donors to convert financial pledges into actual funding for projects on the ground.

Source: PBS NewsHour/AP, Reuters, Axios.