Egypt pledges $500 million for Gaza's reconstruction
Cairo, which is leading efforts to reach a cease-fire in the week-long conflict between Hamas and Israel, has pledged to help rebuild the battered Palestinian enclave.
Egypt will provide the Gaza Strip with $500 million to finance its reconstruction following Israel’s bombing campaign against the militant group Hamas. President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi made the announcement in Paris during trilateral talks with French President Emanuel Macron and King Abdullah of Jordan aimed at drafting a concrete cease-fire proposal.
"Due to the latest developments in Gaza Strip, Egypt will allocate $500 million for the reconstruction of the Palestinian coastal enclave," Sisi’s office posted on Facebook, adding that Egyptian firms will take part in the rebuilding.
For the past week, Israeli airstrikes have pummeled Gaza in retaliation for Hamas’ indiscriminate rocket attacks on Israel. The United Nations has reported major damage in densely populated areas across the Gaza Strip, including more than 200 housing units destroyed or severely damaged.
The fighting between Israel and the militants has left more than 200 people dead, most of them Palestinians. Health officials in Gaza say at least 61 children have died in Israeli airstrikes.
