RAMALLAH, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Clearing rubble in Gaza following the recent conflict with Israel could take three to five years if sufficient funding and equipment are available, Palestinian Public Works and Housing Minister Ahed Bseiso said on Thursday.

Bseiso told the Palestinian News Agency (WAFA) that the timeframe depended on securing resources, funding and specialized equipment for locating explosives, and transporting and recycling debris.

His ministry, responsible for coordinating the removal effort, is working with various organizations, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), on a project to reopen roads and process rubble, he said.

The next phase will focus on clearing rubble from 150 public buildings, including schools, hospitals and mosques, and reopening roads, Bseiso said.

A comprehensive study based on 250,000 damage reports submitted by residents has been completed, Bseiso said, adding that a task force has been established to address the situation in both the West Bank and Gaza.

Bseiso estimated that approximately 400,000 housing units were completely or partially destroyed, requiring the provision of 200,000 new units in coordination with donors.

The ministry plans to work with partners to repair partially damaged homes and provide temporary housing for those whose homes were completely destroyed. Families staying with relatives will receive financial compensation, he said.

The United Nations estimates that more than 50 million tonnes of rubble need to be removed in Gaza, home to over two million people, at a cost of around 1.2 billion U.S. dollars.

Gaza's Government Media Office, in its first post-ceasefire assessment, reported that 88 percent of the Gaza Strip was damaged, estimating initial losses at over 38 billion dollars. Enditem

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