A US envoy’s visit to Gaza has revealed the devastating destruction caused by 15 months of conflict, with White House official Steve Witkoff estimating that rebuilding the enclave could take between 10 and 15 years.
Witkoff, who inspected the situation from the ground and air during his trip, told Axios that assessing the damage alone will take five years, while evaluating the potential impact of tunnels under Gaza could add another few years. The actual reconstruction process would also require additional time, he said.
The Trump administration’s goal is to stabilize Gaza and move forward with its plans for the Middle East, which include a peace agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel and a deal with Iran on its nuclear program. However, Witkoff warned that there is “almost nothing left of Gaza,” with widespread destruction and limited resources available.
Witkoff confirmed that aid is entering Gaza as planned, but people are returning to northern Gaza in accordance with the agreement, while security arrangements at key corridors are working better than expected. He also met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ deputy Hussein al-Sheikh, who expressed his support for the US plan.
The visit comes ahead of a potential second phase of negotiations on the deal between Israel and Hamas, but tensions remain high, particularly over the issue of normalization with Israel. Witkoff’s comments suggest that progress is being made, but more work needs to be done to address the ongoing challenges in Gaza.
Source: https://www.axios.com/2025/01/30/gaza-rebuilding-plans-trump-administration