New York (HRNW)- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has called for the immediate reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and urged the international community to increase pressure on Israel during his address to the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Erdoğan said reconstruction efforts in Gaza should begin without delay and called on UN member states to take steps to support the rebuilding process. He also reiterated Türkiye’s support for the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state.
The scale of destruction in Gaza remains extensive. A UN assessment released in April 2026 estimated $35.2 billion in physical damage and $22.7 billion in economic and social losses, with total recovery and reconstruction needs projected at approximately $71.4 billion over the next decade.
Earlier UN assessments also found that about 81 percent of structures in Gaza were damaged as of October 11, 2025, while a later assessment put the figure at approximately 82 percent by June 16, 2026.
Erdoğan’s remarks come amid continuing international discussion over Gaza’s humanitarian situation and the requirements for large-scale reconstruction, including restoring housing, healthcare, education, water and sanitation, and other essential infrastructure.
The Turkish president has also continued to call for international efforts to establish conditions that would allow reconstruction to proceed and for a political process addressing the future status of the Palestinian territories.
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