Direct losses from Israel's war on Gaza have exceeded $80 billion across 15 vital sectors, according to the territory's Government Media Office, as widespread destruction and restrictions on aid continue to deepen the humanitarian crisis.
Smail al-Thawabta, director general of Gaza's Government Media Office, told The New Arab that the destruction had extended beyond buildings and facilities to roads, water, electricity, telecommunications and sewage networks, as well as economic and public service infrastructure.
He said the Israeli military had dropped around 223,000 tonnes of explosives on Gaza and taken control of approximately 80% of the territory through bombardment and ground incursions, while the destruction had affected around 90% of the infrastructure essential to daily life.
The devastation has paralysed economic activity, severely weakened local institutions and left residents struggling to access food, clean water and other basic necessities.
Economic activity paralysed
Al-Thawabta said the cumulative losses had undermined local institutions' ability to provide services and brought much of Gaza's economic and productive activity to a standstill.
In the transport sector, he said the destruction had affected around 3,000 kilometres of roads, with preliminary losses estimated at $3 billion.
The damage has severely restricted movement across Gaza, hampering ambulances, civil defence teams and humanitarian workers trying to reach affected areas, while disrupting the transportation of goods and essential supplies.
Water and sewage infrastructure has also suffered extensive damage, with around 700 kilometres of water pipelines and an equivalent length of sewage networks destroyed.
A further 725 main water wells have been put out of service, while 134 freshwater projects have been destroyed, severely restricting access to clean water and increasing health risks linked to contamination and deteriorating sanitation.
"The water crisis is worsening alongside food shortages, as more than 200,000 families search daily for a single meal through community kitchens, amid declining aid and difficulties in providing necessities," al-Thawabta said.
He warned that thousands of families were struggling to feed their children, with even obtaining a loaf of bread becoming a daily challenge as living conditions deteriorate and dependence on humanitarian assistance grows.
More than 95% of Gazans rely on aid
According to al-Thawabta, more than 95% of Gaza's population now relies entirely on humanitarian aid and community kitchens to meet basic needs.
Restrictions on food supplies and funding shortages have forced some food programmes to suspend operations and others to close, further reducing relief organisations' ability to respond to growing demand.
He said the number of trucks entering Gaza amounted to no more than 35% of what was needed, including vehicles carrying humanitarian aid, food and commercial goods.
The shortfall has worsened supply shortages, leaving markets and humanitarian organisations struggling to provide residents with essential goods.
Al-Thawabta warned that the crisis extended beyond hunger to severe water deprivation, caused by the destruction of hundreds of wells and extensive damage to supply networks.
Delays in repairs and shortages of essential materials have compounded the damage, placing additional pressure on families and deepening the humanitarian crisis.
Electricity and communications networks devastated
Gaza's electricity infrastructure has also suffered extensive destruction, with around 5,080 kilometres of distribution networks, 2,285 transformers and 235,000 electricity meters destroyed, according to al-Thawabta.
He estimated preliminary losses in the electricity sector at approximately $2 billion.
The damage has severely affected hospitals, water pumping stations and sewage systems, making the restoration of essential services increasingly difficult.
Losses in the telecommunications and internet sector were estimated at a further $3 billion, with widespread infrastructure damage disrupting communications and complicating humanitarian coordination.
Al-Thawabta said the destruction had left residents struggling to communicate, access information and obtain essential services.
Meanwhile, losses to municipal and government services have reached an estimated $6 billion, with 253 government buildings destroyed.
He said 194 municipal employees, including four mayors, had been killed, further weakening local authorities' ability to maintain public services and respond to emergencies.
The destruction of civilian infrastructure, he stressed, could not be separated from its consequences for Gaza's population, as the collapse of essential networks undermined the foundations of daily life and made recovery increasingly difficult and costly.
Calls for urgent international intervention
Al-Thawabta called on the international community, United Nations agencies and humanitarian organisations to intervene urgently to provide food, clean water and other essential assistance.
He also urged immediate efforts to repair electricity, water and sewage networks, rehabilitate hospitals and restore vital public facilities to support recovery and reconstruction.
He warned that continued destruction, restrictions on aid and the declining capacity of local institutions would deepen Gaza's humanitarian and economic crisis and prolong the suffering of its population.
The Government Media Office's estimates come amid mounting concerns over the enormous cost of rebuilding the devastated territory.
A joint assessment by the World Bank, United Nations and European Union, published in April 2026, estimated direct physical damage in Gaza at approximately $35.2 billion, while recovery and reconstruction needs were projected to reach around $71.4 billion over the next decade.