GAZA (Middle East Eye) – Ten months have passed since the last Zionist assault on the Gaza Strip, which - as with previous attacks - left much of the besieged enclave in ruins. Despite this, however, and despite promises from various international backers, officials say that since fighting stopped in May last year, only five percent of the essential reconstruction has been accomplished.
A number of factors have played into this - the delay in the delivery of reconstruction funds, the high prices of building materials globally and locally, and Egypt’s decision to curtail exports into the Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian authorities in Gaza estimate the cost of the reconstruction at more than $400mn as a result of direct losses during the Zionist war, which in addition to the hundreds killed saw the destruction of thousands of homes, housing units, infrastructure, and commercial and industrial facilities.
Under-secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, Naji Sarhan, told Middle East Eye that a joint committee composed of the ministry and the Palestinian Contractors’ Union (PCU) was set to hold discussions with donors, to find a solution to the crisis.
However, he said there had not yet been a “real start” to reconstruction, due to what he described as “restrictions of the financing conditions”. Sarhan estimated that only around five percent of the necessary works had been completed.
Shawki Abu Salah, one of those contracted to begin reconstruction projects, said he had been forced to halt construction due to high prices and the scarcity of building materials. This has forced him to lay off about 70 employees, leaving him with only 15 workers.
“The current prices are completely different from the period of contracting to implement the projects, which incurs heavy losses,” Abu Salah told MEE.
According to the records of the PCU, 250 companies working in the contracting and construction sector directly employ more than 30,000 workers in total, in addition to their contribution to providing around 20,000 other job opportunities in related professions.
Abu Salah said he did not rule out the complete collapse of the contracting and construction sector in Gaza if there was no let-up in the Russian war on Ukraine, which has forced many countries, including Egypt, to impose restrictions on their export of building materials.
Palestinian officials have been negotiating with Egyptian officials in an effort to exempt Gaza from the export ban - but even if they are successful, it may come too late.
Abu Salah said that Gaza imports the largest amount of its iron needs from Russia and Ukraine, while it mainly depends on Egypt, and other sources, to provide other construction materials.
An official in the Gaza Crossings Authority told MEE that cement imports from Egypt had declined by more than 70 percent since 10 March, from 3,000 tons per week to less than 1,000 tons.
What was being imported from Egypt is limited to use in meeting the needs of reconstruction projects financed by Egypt in Gaza, while imports of aluminum and granite had halted completely.