Official: the gold rush has begun. But no drills, no mines, no shovels and picks. Gold today is mixed with sand, tears and pain and is found at Gaza. With peace between Israel and Hamas, a new season has opened. Of quiet (maybe) but above all of business (hopefully). And what a business. That of post-war reconstructionthe largest open-air construction site in the world, the new frontier to help the somewhat struggling global economy as certified by the International Monetary Fund.
100 billion on the table
The appointment is already scheduled. There reconstruction conference will take place in November in Cairo. They are on the plate 80 billion dollarsthat is, the estimated cost of reviving Gaza. But many more will certainly be needed. At least 100. The World Bank has already made the first update, bringing the estimates from the initial 53 billion to the current 80. They will benefit from it international giants, multilateral agencies and – if they know how to play their cards well – too Italian companieswho smell the opportunity and start champing at the bit.
The share of our country should be around 10 billion. Far from Pnrr: here the banquet is real, concrete and above all international. This is why the recent peace announcement blew up the Bag like a New Year’s firecracker.
The first United Nations tenders
The racing machine has already started. Without wasting time – and without waiting for good feelings – the United Nations agencies have launched the first calls for tenders: prefabricated housing to be installed within a few weeks. The WHO is no exception and runs with another tender, this time for medical equipment.
The World Bank opens the race
There World Bank she jumped into the fray first with the Procurement Plan 2025-2027170 million dollars for the health sector. By November, 27 tenders will be prepared, ranging from hospitals to be put back on their feet to health IT systems, passing through the telemedicine (because yes, Gaza will also be bombed, but it must be digital).
There EU Commission prepare one Eu Gaza Facilityendowed with approximately 1.6 billion euros and intended to coordinate the flows of the European Investment Bank and national development agencies in the sectors energy, water and waste management.
The Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajaniconfirmed that Italy «will participate in the reconstruction with its companies, strong in international experience».
Italy and Germany in pole position
The French cousins and the former British masters, however, remained mired in the mud of politically correct statementshastening to recognize the State of Palestine. They disappointed Bibi Netanyahu And Donald Trump who will always have the last word. Italy and Germanyhowever, I am in pole position. And now, as the ancient wisdom says, “he who has given, will give.”
From reclamation to infrastructure
But before building, you have to dig. Not in a metaphorical sense. In Gaza we start from underground: demining, destruction of Hamas tunnels, various clearances. A hard job that will last from one to two years. To ensure the orderly carrying out of the work Italy could send the Carabinieri. It will be the price of entry.
After cleaning, the infrastructure race. To do everything again: sewerage, electricity, gas, roads, railways, hospitals, schools. Even houses. The problem is that first you will have to get rid of tons of rubble. We are talking about a volume equal to 13 times the pyramids of Egyptand that’s not just a figure of speech: exactly those, in cubic metres. Inside, too asbestosObviously. Toxic material to dispose of. The landfills? To be built.
Italian companies are warming up their engines
And this is where the heavyweights. Confindustria warms up the engines, and the government studies the financial levers. On the field, the World Bankthe Nice and the usual friends from the Gulf. The Qatarjust to not name names, will put in more petrodollars than there are dried dates sold in the bazaar every day.
The bulk of the contracts could go through WeBuild (led by Pietro Salini), with the patriotic support of the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti. Then there is Gavio on the streets, Fs And Italferr for the railways, Anas for asphalt e Ferrara land reclamationalready present in the area as part of the Mattei Plan.
Followed by a parade oflarge families” of Italian construction: Vianini (Caltagirone), Bonatti, Rizzani de Ecchereven Pizzarotti – who after some ailments, seeks relaunch among the ruins. And finally Buzzi Unicem And Cementirwhich North Africa already knows, including dust.
Cementir superstar of Piazza Affari
For experts Business Squaretrue superstar is considered Cementir of Caltagirone thanks to its important production capacity in Türkiye. It’s no coincidence that the title has gained 50% since the beginning of the year. They are certain in Akros Bank: Cementir «could benefit from the end of the conflicts in Ukraine, Syria and the Gaza Strip» thanks to its strong presence in Turkey which places it in the ideal position to serve the construction sites in the area.
Cementir «has 40 percent of its production capacity in Türkiye and the CEO Francesco Caltagirone jr had stated some time ago that the company has potential for growth in volumes in the event of a ceasefire in Palestine, Syria or Ukraine”, he underlines Matteo Bonizzonihead of Italian equity research at Kepler Cheuvreux.
Energy as a strategic key
And then there’s the energy chapter Where Eni And Saipem could play a leading role. At the center of operations is the Leviathan depositthe true symbol of recovery. Located off the coast of Israel, it is one of the largest in the Eastern Mediterraneancapable of supplying gas to Israel, Egypt and Jordan.
In June 2025, with tensions running high between Israel and Iran, Leviathan was turned off for safety reasons. Now it works in slow motion but the horizon is rich: with the new expansion, Leviathan aims to move on 12 to 21 billion cubic meters per yearwith a new pipeline (Nitzana) on the way. A bargain from 35 billion dollarsalready signed with Cairo.
Other than “shared resources”: here we are talking about energy diplomacyOf export to EuropeOf gas that builds bridges. Or blows it up.
Italian ports are once again protagonists
For Italy, which boasts leading companies in the sector (Saipem first and foremost), the field could be a central piece of a broader strategy: entering into the reconstruction not only with concretebut with cables, pipes and turbines.
But where does all this material go? At which port will the prefabricated buildings, cranes and generators arrive? Answer: in Mediterraneanwhich becomes central again as it hasn’t been for centuries. And the ones who could benefit from it could be Italian portsstarting from Genoa, Savona and La Spezia.
There Genoa Shipping Week last week he said it clearly: we are faced with a new maritime Renaissancewhere the cement no longer travels from Rotterdam but from Genoa to the Levant.
The domino effect on employment
According to calculations, a million more containers in Genoa could generate up to 40 thousand new jobs. A domino effect that starts from the piers and reaches the outskirts of the port cities, passing through railways, road transport and logistics.
With the expansion of the port and the new dam nearing completion with the funds of Pnrronly Genoa could create 8 thousand new direct jobs by 2030.
The risk of governance
Of course, the governance it is still a mirage. Who will manage these immense capitals? THE’Palestinian Authorityunder international protection? A technocratic administration? A new one UN protectorate in the form of Eu Gaza Facility?
The risk – and it is gigantic – is that the reconstruction becomes one international vanity fairwhere alliances are made (and broken), billions are spent and “green” neighborhoods are built, while the population survives in containers.
Yet, this could be the opportunity for a real leap in qualitynot only economic but political. If Gaza is truly reborn, then the peace it can stop being an illusion of plastered diplomacy and become a reality, perhaps a little dusty with concrete, but real.
The new deal of the century
The Gaza construction site it is open. The bulldozers have started their engines, the brokers are smiling, the Italian companies are polishing their safety shoes. It’s the new one “reconstruction” of the Middle Eastwhere peace can be a business.
For Italy, it’s time to stop looking at the sea with nostalgia. It’s time to go back to browsing, building, exporting.
And – why not – reaffirm its centrality in the ancient Mare Nostrum. Let the race begin. And may the best UN certified supplier win.
