An Egyptian official told CBS News on Monday that approximately $70 billion will be needed to rebuild Gaza, a sum that highlights the vast scale of destruction and the fraught diplomacy that will shape any recovery effort. The estimate places reconstruction among the largest humanitarian and reconstruction tasks in recent memory, with consequences for regional stability, donor politics and the lives of more than two million Palestinians.

The figure will force capitals and international institutions to confront stark choices. Wealthy states and multilateral lenders must weigh humanitarian and political imperatives against domestic budget constraints and geopolitical calculations. Coordinating such a vast effort would require the United States, European Union, Gulf states, the United Nations, the World Bank and regional actors to agree on financing mechanisms, oversight structures and conditions for delivery — a process complicated by competing priorities and mutual suspicions.

Security questions loom over any reconstruction plan. Israel’s security concerns, including control of borders and preventing rearmament of militant groups, are likely to shape the extent and timing of external access to Gaza. At the same time, Palestinian governance arrangements in Gaza will affect donor willingness to provide funding directly to local authorities. These intersecting issues raise legal and ethical questions under international law about the protection of civilians, the right to return and the obligations of occupying and neighboring powers to facilitate relief and reconstruction.

Egypt, which shares a border with Gaza and controls the Rafah crossing, has long played a central but delicate role. Cairo’s concerns include stability in the Sinai Peninsula, the humanitarian plight of Gazans, the presence of displaced populations along its border and its diplomatic relationships with Western and Arab capitals. By publicizing the $70 billion figure, Egyptian officials have signaled that rebuilding Gaza is not merely a Palestinian or Israeli issue but a regional challenge with implications for Egypt’s security and economic calculations.

International experience shows that reconstruction after major conflict requires more than money. Transparent governance, robust anti-corruption measures, phased planning that aligns material reconstruction with political reconciliation, and sustained donor engagement are all essential. Without clear mechanisms for accountability and coordination, there is a heightened risk that funds will be misallocated or that reconstruction will entrench political fragmentation rather than create durable recovery.

The human dimension underlies every fiscal and policy debate. Gaza’s urban fabric, public services and private homes have suffered extensive damage over multiple rounds of conflict, and prolonged delays in rebuilding would exacerbate humanitarian suffering and increase the likelihood of renewed instability. For donors, the calculus will include humanitarian urgency, diplomatic leverage, domestic politics and the complex mediation between security imperatives and reconstruction needs.

If the $70 billion figure becomes the working benchmark for planners, the international community faces a test of resolve. Delivering reconstruction at that scale will require a coalition that can reconcile strategic concerns with humanitarian commitments, build trusted oversight, and offer a political pathway that reduces the risk of future violence. The coming weeks and months will show whether global actors can translate a headline number into sustained, coordinated action that addresses both immediate needs and long-term stability.