The UN rapporteur on poverty stated on Saturday that rebuilding the Gaza Strip will require at least $53 billion, condemning the forced displacement of its residents as a violation of international law.

In televised remarks, he accused the Israeli occupation army of committing war crimes and using starvation as a weapon to make life unbearable for Gaza’s population. He also stressed that the humanitarian aid entering the Strip is grossly insufficient to meet the urgent needs of its residents.

The rapporteur also criticised former U.S. President Donald Trump’s reported plans to displace Gaza’s residents, stating that such proposals contradict international law and Palestinians’ right to self-determination. He emphasised that forced displacement is a crime against humanity and that Gaza’s people must not be pushed into exile.

A joint report by the United Nations, the European Union, and the World Bank last Tuesday estimated that rebuilding Gaza after 15 months of Israeli aggression will require $53.2 billion, with $20 billion needed in the first three years alone.