Gaza Rubble Removal to Cost $2.5 Billion and Take About 10 Years

The amount of rubble in the Gaza Strip following over two and a half years of conflict is estimated at approximately 40 million tons. Dorin Karadi, owner of the company 'Tlaor Karadi,' detailed the complexity of the cleanup effort, emphasizing that waste recycling must be conducted on-site due to the massive volume and security restrictions preventing transport to Israel. The estimated cost for clearing the debris stands at $2.5 billion.

Karadi explained that the rubble consists mainly of building fragments, requiring separation of materials such as concrete and iron using specialized engineering equipment like crushers and large magnets. The process is further complicated when dealing with buildings damaged by missiles, as these sites must be carefully checked for explosive remnants, gas connections, and electrical hazards before any removal can begin.

Due to legal and security constraints, all waste processing facilities will need to be established within Gaza itself. Karadi estimates that the cleanup will take between eight to ten years, although this is a rough approximation given the lack of official data. The company is prepared to set up a crushing plant inside Gaza to handle the debris, but access to such a secure site will be challenging. Even with continuous work shifts, the operation is expected to span many years.

This extensive and costly effort highlights the long-term challenges Gaza faces in recovering from the destruction caused by prolonged conflict, with the cleanup process requiring significant resources, time, and careful handling of hazardous materials.