Excellencies, Distinguished Ministers, Colleagues,
Allow me to thank Egypt, France, Germany, and the European Commission for convening this timely discussion.
We are entering a decisive phase.
If launched with no further delay, early recovery will translate into tangible improvements in the lives of Palestinians in Gaza. It will also create conditions for governance to function, for essential services to be restored, for communities to regain confidence in future, and for broader political arrangements to take root. Put simply, sustainable recovery and sustainable political progress can only advance together.
Early recovery is a strategic investment in stabilization. It creates the conditions for governance to function, for essential services to be restored, for communities to regain confidence, and for broader political arrangements to take root. Put simply, sustainable recovery and sustainable political progress must advance together.
Ultimately, recovery in Gaza must advance the underlying political objectives: the reunification of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank under a single, legitimate, sovereign Palestinian government, and a restored political process that will end the unlawful occupation and realize a two-State solution.
Let me turn to the reality on the ground. I just returned from a 3 - day trip to Gaza and have witnessed impossible constraints in shelter, healthcare, water, sanitation, electricity and livelihoods which the population faces on daily basis.
In Gaza, I walked through numerous communities sheltering in intolerable conditions, often at below sea level. As another winter approaches, fear of last year’s scenario repeating itself has already cast a chilling shadow over Gaza.
It can only be best conveyed in the desperate words of Sharyan al Khayat community members: “this place will be flooded up to one meter with the mix of untreated sewage, domestic waste and dead animals. Freezing temperatures will bring disease and death and yet again will particularly affect children, women and the disabled”. Similar conditions are observed in Dar Elezz site where in addition, unexploded remnants of war risk being washed directly onto the tents by heavy rains.
There are hundreds of communities like Sharyan al Hayat across Gaza. Those who seek alternatives to tents in low laying areas are opting to shelter in numerous damaged structures, often because they have no safer alternatives. Last week we saw the devastating consequences with more lives lost following the collapse of damaged buildings. The rain and floods of winter will only accelerate this deadly reality.
One year since the ceasefire, this situation is unacceptable, there is no time to waste, every minute counts.
Gaza recovery and reconstruction needs are estimated at more than USD 71 billion over the coming decade, with over USD 26 billion required in the initial phase alone. These resources are not available.
One year after the ceasefire, funding and implementation of early recovery efforts fall dramatically short of what is required on the ground. The humanitarian appeal is only funded to 39.7 %.
But our estimates show that with elimination of access barriers and targeted strategic investments in key elements such water and sanitation, electricity, waste management and better shelter can quickly deliver tangible results in immediate and near terms.
At the same time, we must be clear about the conditions required to move from framework to delivery.
First, access must improve significantly. Safe, predictable and sustained access for the United Nations and its partners remains indispensable. Critical supplies, heavy machinery, fuel, engine oil, construction materials, telecommunications equipment and specialized technical expertise must be able to enter Gaza at the required scale. Recovery requires that debris is removed, electricity, water and wastewater systems function, and that essential infrastructure is rehabilitated.
Second, basic services must be restored without delay. Electricity, including the restoration of power generation capacity, water, sanitation, waste management, health services and shelter are not only humanitarian priorities. They are prerequisites for recovery, economic activity and stability.
Third, financial commitments must be translated into implementation, and coherent aid coordination must be put in place.
Important financing mechanisms have been established, including the United Nations Horizon Fund, European Union Team Gaza Initiative, and the World Bank Palestinian Fund for Reconstruction and Development. These mechanisms must now be enabled to move rapidly from commitment to delivery.
It is also pertinent to revisit to the idea of convening a partners’ meeting in Cairo which was envisaged to take place in early 2026. The meeting would not need to focus on fundraising; but it is rather critical that we agree on a unified aid architecture among all partners, including sectoral and technical coordination, to avoid gaps, as well as to facilitate the sharing of information on projects and available financing among a broad group of partners, beyond traditional donors.
We also need to put in place a coherent framework to underpin mutual accountability remains important. Such a framework would help ensure that commitments are translated into coordinated action, with clarity on respective roles, responsibilities and follow-up. Implementation must be coordinated through unified approach to aid architecture to avoid overlaps and gaps. Technical discussion and decision-making mechanisms must be unified, transparent, and aligned in all key areas such as health, economic recovery, energy, and more.
Excellencies,
Coordination is therefore the strategic imperative.
The United Nations strongly supports a set of simple but essential principles: one Palestine, one recovery plan, and one aid coordination framework. Recovery efforts must be Palestinian led, anchored in national institutions, guided by common priorities, and linked to national systems. A unified approach will strengthen accountability, improve efficiency and maximize the impact of international support.
In this regard, the Palestinian Authority is critical to the long-term governance and recovery framework. At the same time, consistent with resolution 2803, practical coordination between the Palestinian Authority and the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, within its transitional administrative role, will be essential to facilitate implementation on the ground. The objective must be greater convergence, stronger institutional continuity and effective cooperation in support of Palestinian recovery.
The same principle applies to coordination among all stakeholders will be critical to resolving practical bottlenecks, aligning priorities and accelerating delivery.
The growing engagement of regional and international partners, the support of Arab and Islamic countries, the commitment of key donors, and the increasing capitalization of the Horizon Fund demonstrate that political will and financial commitments exist. The task before us is to convert that support into measurable results for the Palestinian people.
The United Nations stands ready to help bring these efforts together under a common framework for aid coordination and mutual accountability, aligned with Palestinian priorities and informed by the Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment.
The UN brings extensive technical expertise, thousands of staff, deep operational knowledge and a proven record of delivery, as well as the trust of communities on the ground. It must be able to draw on these capacities and operate in line with its foundational principles and mandates, including through its specialized agencies. In this regard, the role of UNRWA is indispensable and irreplaceable. Our objective should be clear: complementarity, coordination and, above all, delivery.
Excellencies,
The people of Gaza cannot afford further delay. Progress on early recovery can help build confidence, reinforce stability, support implementation of agreed political arrangements and create the conditions necessary for longer-term reconstruction and development.
Our shared responsibility is therefore clear: to advance the implementation of resolution 2803; strengthen coordination among Palestinian institutions and international partners; unlock access and operational constraints; and ensure that financing is translated into visible improvements in people's daily lives.
If we succeed, early recovery can become more than a response to destruction. It can become a bridge toward renewed governance, stability and a broader political horizon that advances Palestinian self-determination and the vision of two States living side by side in peace and security based on pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States.
The United Nations remains fully committed to working with all partners to advance that objective.
Thank you.
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