After a ceasefire agreement
Reconstruction of Gaza: Health sector needs billions
Every hospital and every doctor’s office in the Gaza Strip has been destroyed or damaged. Reconstruction will be more expensive. The WHO says who should pay for it.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the reconstruction of hospitals and medical practices in the Gaza Strip will cost several billion dollars. Initial estimates assume that around three billion dollars (2.9 billion euros) will be needed for the health sector alone in the next 18 months.
For a time horizon of five to seven years, the need is likely to be ten billion dollars, said WHO representative Rik Peeperkorn, who is responsible for the Palestinian territories. He gave the numbers during a WHO press conference.
Every hospital destroyed or damaged
“The destruction is so massive, I’ve never seen anything like it in my life,” said Peeperkorn, who has often been there in the Gaza Strip since the start of Israel’s war against the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas. Virtually every hospital and practice is either destroyed or damaged.
With the ceasefire agreement, which is due to come into force on Sunday, hopes for a lasting peace have increased. Analysis of the costs of reconstruction was in full swing at the United Nations, the World Bank, the EU and others.
Reconstruction is a shared responsibility, said Peeperkorn. This must be financed by WHO members around the world, and that includes Israel.
dpa
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
