Doha: The State of Qatar on Wednesday pledged to provide $500 million for the reconstruction of Gaza.
The Qatari foreign minister Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani announced that Qatar pledged $500 million to rebuild the besieged Gaza Strip, after a ceasefire that ended the worst fighting in years between Israel and Palestinian armed groups in the coastal enclave.
Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, wrote on Twitter, “We will continue to support the brothers in Palestine to reach a just and lasting solution by establishing their independent state in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and the relevant international legitimacy references.”
We will continue to support our brothers in Palestine to reach a just and lasting solution by establishing their independent state, he said.
Qatar often acts as a mediator between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian group that has ruled Gaza since 2007. The Gulf state has contributed hundreds of millions of dollars in humanitarian and development aid to support the previous ceasefire.
The official Qatar News Agency stated that the funds aim to help Palestinians in Gaza “to face the challenges of life posed by the recent Israeli attacks, and to contribute to the reconstruction of service facilities in Gaza … in addition to the destroyed homes.”
The worst shootout in years began between Israel and Palestinian armed groups in the enclave on May 10 after Israeli forces launched a crackdown on protesters at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, the third holiest site in Islam, which Jews also respect as the Temple Mount.
During 11 days of fighting, Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire on Gaza killed 277 Palestinians, including 70 children and 40 women. About 8,500 people were injured, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Last week, Cairo pledged $500 million to reconstruct the Palestinian sector, which has been subject to the Israeli blockade for more than 15 years