After the dust settles: Rebuilding Gaza’s future 

After two years of relentless conflict, a fragile peace appears on the horizon in Gaza. The newly announced ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, part of US President Trump’s 20-point plan aiming to deliver a “strong, durable, and everlasting peace,” has stirred hope globally. Yet Gaza’s treacherous post-war landscape tells a different story: neighbourhoods lie in ruin and leadership remains fragmented. Rebuilding Gaza will require far more than empty promises and points on paper – it will demand vision, political cooperation, and, above all, empathy. 

Since October 2023, over 67,000 Gazans have been killed in the genocide, with at least 167,000 others sustaining serious injuries. Treating these injuries is almost impossible, as at least 125 health facilities have been destroyed, with only a few hospitals still partially functioning. Over 66% of all structures in the Gaza Strip have sustained damage, with entire neighbourhoods being wiped out. The scale of destruction is insurmountable. Over 60 million tons of rubble cover the ground, and the task of clearing it is estimated to require over a decade of labour with standard equipment – equipment the region currently lacks. Rebuilding is further complicated by Israel’s restrictions on essential materials such as cement, steel, and even wood, which are classified as ‘dual-use’ items that could potentially serve military purposes.

After losing loved ones, entire families and livelihoods, many Gazans express pessimism about the future. This loss of hope has deadened the motivation to rebuild, as many struggle to even conceptualise a brighter future

Even if the debris were cleared, the prospect of reconstruction under these constraints remains unrealistic. Beyond the physical devastation and logistical difficulties lies an even deeper psychological toll. This two-year genocide has left Gaza in the midst of a silent mental health crisis. The population, including children and adults, exhibits extremely high rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and complex grief. These conditions hinder individuals’ ability to function normally, participate in recovery efforts, and focus on long-term planning. After losing loved ones, entire families and livelihoods, many Gazans express pessimism about the future. This loss of hope has deadened the motivation to rebuild, as many struggle to even conceptualise a brighter future. 

Trump’s 20-point plan aims to lay a foundation for the redevelopment of Gaza into a ‘terror-free zone’ through humanitarian aid, social reconciliation, and disarmament, whilst rebuilding its economy and governance under international supervision to promote long-lasting peace. On 3 October, the plan’s first phase was completed with the return of all 48 remaining hostages being held in Gaza, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and a ceasefire that went into effect on 10 October. However, since the ceasefire began, Israel has reportedly committed 129 violations, killing 34 Palestinians and wounding 122 others. Israel killed at least 66 people in what they labelled “defensive” airstrikes. Israel also accused Hamas of killing two IDF soldiers, claims that have since been debunked but continue to serve as an excuse for Israel’s renewed airstrikes against Gazan civilians.

Although Hamas rejected the complete renunciation of its political influence, it endorsed the proposal to transfer political control to Palestinian technocrats

Adding to the instability, Israel has only permitted an average of 89 trucks of humanitarian aid per day, only 14% of the 600 trucks per day outlined within the agreement. These restrictions are intensifying the already dire humanitarian crisis, eroding trust in the ceasefire process. Israel’s ongoing actions not only violate the agreement but also undermine the plan’s core goal – peace and reconstruction. Under such conditions, effectively rebuilding Gaza is practically unattainable, as every effort toward recovery is repeatedly set back by continued military aggression and the obstruction of essential aid. 

Another major facet of Gaza’s reconstruction is the establishment of effective leadership. Under Trump’s 20-point plan, Gaza is to be governed by a temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee composed of qualified Palestinians and international experts. This committee will operate under the supervision of the ‘Board of Peace,’ chaired by President Trump, which will manage funding for the redevelopment of Gaza until the Palestinian Authority completes its reform programme. Although Hamas rejected the complete renunciation of its political influence, it endorsed the proposal to transfer political control to Palestinian technocrats.

Nonetheless, Trump’s plan for leadership remains fundamentally flawed. As Israel’s foremost military and political ally, the USA cannot credibly position itself as an impartial mediator, least of all under Trump, who has openly declared his intent to assume control over Gaza. This arrangement appears to serve Trump’s self-interest, allowing him to consolidate personal influence and potential profit from Gaza’s reconstruction, rather than prioritising the welfare of its people. Moreover, the plan fails to articulate concrete objectives for economic development, only proposing the formation of a panel of experts with experience in Middle Eastern reconstruction to design an economic framework for Gaza’s recovery.

The human dimension of the conflict remains fractured, offering no stable foundation for lasting peace. Within Israeli society, the systemic marginalisation of Palestinians has become deeply entrenched, perpetuating an atmosphere of aggression

However, the power of Middle Eastern actors is limited as reflected by Netanyahu and Trump’s alteration of the original draft of the plan, proposed by Muslim-majority nations, to better align with Israeli interests. This alteration included removing clauses regarding a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, a pledge not to annex the West Bank and a plan for peace in line with the two-state solution. In doing so, the plan seems to intentionally neglect establishing a pathway toward Palestinian statehood or self-determination, instead prioritising the absolution of accountability for the Israeli government for its ongoing atrocities in Gaza, and the legitimisation of its continued territorial control. These revisions not only expose an inherent bias within this so-called resolution but also lay the legal groundwork for a potential annexation of the Palestinian West Bank, an established ambition of Netanyahu’s government.

Ultimately, rebuilding Gaza cannot begin with the clearing of rubble alone, but instead with a fundamental shift in the ideology that sustains the conflict and remains pervasive in peace-making efforts

This systemic fragmentation of Palestinian territory and identity continues to erode the viability of a two-state solution. Currently, there is little prospect for the emergence of a sustainable Palestinian state or for the restoration of genuine relations between the two sides. The intense political and social divisions that have long defined the Israeli-Palestinian relationship have fostered mistrust and hostility that stretch beyond the political and military spheres. The human dimension of the conflict remains fractured, offering no stable foundation for lasting peace. Within Israeli society, the systemic marginalisation of Palestinians has become deeply entrenched, perpetuating an atmosphere of aggression. In turn, this has fostered resentment within parts of Palestine, fuelling antisemitic sentiment and sustaining a cycle of fear, hatred, and retaliation. 

Ultimately, rebuilding Gaza cannot begin with the clearing of rubble alone, but instead with a fundamental shift in the ideology that sustains the conflict and remains pervasive in peace-making efforts. Material rebuilding, if given the appropriate tools, without moral or political transformation, will amount to nothing more than a superficial façade. True reconstruction requires not only balanced logistical and economic solutions, but also a reimagining of rhetoric and governance – one grounded in justice and mutual understanding.