Turkiye's Erdogan urges world to 'immediately' start rebuilding Gaza

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called upon the world to immediately commence the reconstruction of the devastated Gaza Strip at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday. The Palestinian territory suffered extensive damage following Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and has been ravaged by Israeli airstrikes, leaving 84% of structures damaged or destroyed as of October 2025.

Despite a ceasefire brokered by the US in October 2025, Israel has continued its airstrikes and has restricted the entry of reconstruction materials, preventing the start of the rebuilding process. According to a joint assessment by the United Nations, the World Bank, and the European Union, Gaza will need $71.4 billion in recovery and reconstruction funding over the next decade.

Erdogan urged countries that have yet to recognize Palestine as an independent state to reconsider their stance, causing the Israeli delegation to exit the hall. This call comes a year after France led a UN summit at which 10 countries formally recognized Palestine, bringing the number of UN member states to recognize the state to approximately 157, surpassing four-fifths of the UN membership. However, Israel has consistently rejected this move.