U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, during his recent visit to the Gaza Strip, assessed that rebuilding in the war-torn enclave may take a period of 10 to 15 years. The region has faced massive devastation since the heavy bombardments by Israel and the ground battles with Hamas. According to the United Nations, fully 92% of all housing in Gaza has been destroyed or damaged, and whole neighborhoods have been reduced to rubble.
Witkoff’s visit is the first by a senior U.S. official to Gaza in more than a decade. He toured the Netzarim Corridor dividing northern and southern Gaza to assess the current ceasefire arrangements between Israel and Hamas. The corridor has also been used for the security screening of displaced Palestinians returning to their homes in northern Gaza.
According to an Axios interview, the optimistic Witkoff explains: “Both Netzarim and Philadelphi Corridors are working, from a security point of view, even better than he thought”.
Witkoff arrived in Israel from Saudi Arabia, where he met with Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and senior Palestinian official Hussein al-Sheikh. The meeting marked the first known contact between the Trump administration and the PA, which partially governs the West Bank. In Israel, Witkoff met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials, emphasizing the need for full compliance with the ceasefire.
Speaking about the destruction in Gaza, Witkoff said, “There is almost nothing left of Gaza.” He described the scene as stunning, with many residents heading north to assess the damage to their homes only to find their neighborhoods in ruins. “There is no water and no electricity. The extent of the destruction is stunning,” he added.
According to the UN, out of 436,000 housing units affected by the conflict, 160,000 have been completely destroyed, and 276,000 have sustained partial damage. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians went back to northern Gaza to find their homes uninhabitable.
Witkoff really drove the point home that the extent of the devastation has been understated; he referred to Gaza as “uninhabitable.” “There has been a perception that a solid plan for Gaza could be developed in five years. That’s impossible. This is a 10 to 15 year rebuilding plan. There is nothing left standing. “It is very dangerous to walk there because of unexploded ordnance.” His first-hand inspection underlined the urgent need for a comprehensive approach to the rebuilding of the region.
