With the Gaza peace plan underway, early planning for Gaza’s water, energy, and infrastructure needs is essential. The Gaza Strip lies in one of the world’s most water-scarce regions, and its limited water resources are compromised by high salinity and pollution. Widespread infrastructure damage and worsening sanitation conditions are further straining water access—the UN reports that no wastewater treatment facilities are currently operational in Gaza and that the capacity of storage reservoirs and pumping facilities has dropped 84% since before the war. At the same time, access to electricity remains severely constrained. Effective reconstruction will require not only restoring energy and water systems, but also dramatically expanding the flow of goods entering Gaza—and building the infrastructure needed to manage and sustain that influx.
Reconstruction will be challenging, but it also presents a critical opportunity. If approached strategically, rebuilding efforts can address Gaza’s immediate water, energy, and infrastructure needs while laying the groundwork for Palestinian statehood, greater regional economic cooperation, and stronger governance. This event, featuring the Israeli and Palestinian Directors of EcoPeace Middle East, will examine both the challenges and opportunities of reconstruction, with a focus on how regional approaches to water, energy, and infrastructure can support stability, cooperation, and a more durable path to prosperity in the postwar development of the region.
Featured Speakers
Nada Majdalani, Palestine Director, Ecopeace Middle East
Gidon Bromberg, Israel Director, EcoPeace Middle East
Lauren Risi, Senior Fellow and Director, Environmental Security Program, Stimson Center (Moderator)