Trump's Gaza Board Flags $17 Billion Funding Gap for $70 Billion Rebuild
Updated
Updated · Reuters · May 20
Trump's Gaza Board Flags $17 Billion Funding Gap for $70 Billion Rebuild
8 articles · Updated · Reuters · May 20
A May 15 report to the U.N. Security Council said Trump's Board of Peace urgently needs pledged Gaza reconstruction money to be disbursed, warning the shortfall is stalling delivery on the ground.
The board kept the pledged total at $17 billion but gave no figure for funds actually received, a shift from its earlier public denial of any funding constraints after Reuters reported weak inflows in April.
Nickolay Mladenov is due to brief the Security Council on May 21 as the board also presses non-member states and organizations to contribute without delay.
Gaza's reconstruction bill is estimated at $70 billion, with 85% of buildings and infrastructure destroyed and about 70 million tonnes of rubble needing clearance.
Donor hesitation has persisted because many governments prefer U.N.-style channels and have raised transparency and oversight concerns about the board, even as fighting and Israeli air strikes continue despite an October ceasefire.
With $17 billion pledged but Gaza still in ruins, is the 'Board of Peace' a failed promise or a political power play?
Can Gaza ever be rebuilt when its fate is tied to the Iran conflict and broader global power struggles?
Gaza’s $71 Billion Reconstruction Crisis: Stalled Recovery, Funding Gaps, and the Human Cost in 2026
Overview
As of May 2026, Gaza faces a severe humanitarian crisis, with reconstruction efforts stalled due to ongoing instability and immense destruction. Many families remain displaced, forced to live in unsafe conditions because safer alternatives are lacking. Residential areas are still dangerous, frequently exposed to strikes and shelling. The scale of damage is overwhelming, with estimates showing that over $71 billion is needed to rebuild Gaza to its pre-war state. This situation highlights the huge gap between urgent needs and the slow progress on the ground, leaving the population in prolonged hardship and uncertainty.