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| Donors pledge aid to rebuild Gaza | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| International donors meeting in Egypt are expected to pledge billions of dollars to rebuild Gaza after Israel's recent offensive. | International donors meeting in Egypt are expected to pledge billions of dollars to rebuild Gaza after Israel's recent offensive. |
| The Palestinian Authority (PA) is seeking $2.8bn (£2bn) in foreign aid. | The Palestinian Authority (PA) is seeking $2.8bn (£2bn) in foreign aid. |
| PA President Mahmoud Abbas told the meeting that funding was "insufficient" without a political solution. | |
| US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who pledged $900m, said the crisis in Gaza could not be separated from the wider peace process. | |
| "By providing humanitarian aid to Gaza we also aim to foster conditions in which a Palestinian state can be fully realised, a state that is a responsible partner, is at peace with Israel and its Arab neighbours and is accountable to its people," she said. | |
| All but essential supplies are still subject to Israeli blockades at the crossing points into Gaza. | All but essential supplies are still subject to Israeli blockades at the crossing points into Gaza. |
| GAZA DESTRUCTION 14,000 homes219 factories240 schools UNDP estimates In pictures: Samouni Street | |
| And donors stress that aid should not be channelled through Hamas, which both the US and the EU regard as a terrorist organisation. | And donors stress that aid should not be channelled through Hamas, which both the US and the EU regard as a terrorist organisation. |
| Some 1,300 Palestinians, of whom 412 were children, were killed during fighting in December and January, with thousands of homes and businesses destroyed. | Some 1,300 Palestinians, of whom 412 were children, were killed during fighting in December and January, with thousands of homes and businesses destroyed. |
| Israel and Hamas declared unilateral truces on 17 January. Neither are attending the conference. | Israel and Hamas declared unilateral truces on 17 January. Neither are attending the conference. |
| 'One viable future' | 'One viable future' |
| Donations from the one-day conference at Egypt's Red Sea resort are expected to exceed the Palestinians request for $2.8bn (£2bn). | Donations from the one-day conference at Egypt's Red Sea resort are expected to exceed the Palestinians request for $2.8bn (£2bn). |
| class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7918089.stm">Clinton's delicate Mid-east tour | |
| US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton - in her first visit to the Middle East as America's top diplomat - has brought with her a cheque for $900m, while Saudi Arabia is expected to reaffirm its promised $1bn (£703m) for Gaza. | |
| Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas told delegates that while all the support was appreciated, "we insist on the pressing need to achieve substantial progress towards a just settlement [of the conflict with Israel]". | |
| "We are all conscious that the reconstruction and development efforts will remain insufficient, powerless and threatened in the absence of a political settlement," he said at the conference. | "We are all conscious that the reconstruction and development efforts will remain insufficient, powerless and threatened in the absence of a political settlement," he said at the conference. |
| The conference heard similar calls from other speakers. | The conference heard similar calls from other speakers. |
| UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told delegates: "There is only one viable future: Palestinians and Israelis living side by side in peace and security." | UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told delegates: "There is only one viable future: Palestinians and Israelis living side by side in peace and security." |
| "If ever there were a time to think freshly, to lead boldly, it is now," he added. | "If ever there were a time to think freshly, to lead boldly, it is now," he added. |
| The situation at the border crossings is intolerable Ban Ki-moon UN Secretary General | |
| French President Nicolas Sarkozy urged "responsible Palestinians" to seek peace with Israel. | French President Nicolas Sarkozy urged "responsible Palestinians" to seek peace with Israel. |
| "You must admit that there is no other road to the creation of a Palestinian state but to engage resolutely in searching for a political solution and engage in a dialogue with Israel," he said in a message to Hamas. | "You must admit that there is no other road to the creation of a Palestinian state but to engage resolutely in searching for a political solution and engage in a dialogue with Israel," he said in a message to Hamas. |
| Mrs Clinton said the US was working with the PA "to install safeguards that will ensure our funding is only used where and for whom it is intended and does not end up in the wrong hands," a reference to Hamas. | |
| Following the conference, she is due to travel to both Israel and the Palestinian territories to speak to leaders from both sides. | |
| 'Open crossings' | 'Open crossings' |
| The main obstacle to reconstruction of Gaza are the crossings which remain largely closed to all but essential supplies, says the BBC's Christian Fraser in Sharm el-Sheikh. | The main obstacle to reconstruction of Gaza are the crossings which remain largely closed to all but essential supplies, says the BBC's Christian Fraser in Sharm el-Sheikh. |
| Tony Blair on the need for aid and a political solution in Gaza | |
| Ban Ki-moon described the situation at the crossings as "intolerable". | Ban Ki-moon described the situation at the crossings as "intolerable". |
| "Aid workers do not have access. Essential commodities cannot get in. Our first and indispensable goal, therefore, is open crossings," he told delegates. | "Aid workers do not have access. Essential commodities cannot get in. Our first and indispensable goal, therefore, is open crossings," he told delegates. |
| "By the same token, however, it is therefore essential to ensure that illegal weapons do not enter Gaza." | "By the same token, however, it is therefore essential to ensure that illegal weapons do not enter Gaza." |
| Israel said it fully supported the conference and the idea of strengthening support for the people of Gaza through humanitarian and reconstruction aid. | Israel said it fully supported the conference and the idea of strengthening support for the people of Gaza through humanitarian and reconstruction aid. |
| "But we must be clear," spokesman Mark Regev said. "Like the international community, Israel does not want to see support to Hamas. We want to see support for the people of Gaza." | "But we must be clear," spokesman Mark Regev said. "Like the international community, Israel does not want to see support to Hamas. We want to see support for the people of Gaza." |
| The Palestinian Authority has proposed that all aid to Gaza is channelled through itself rather than Hamas, which won elections to the Palestinian parliament in 2006 and consolidated its control of Gaza by force a year later. | The Palestinian Authority has proposed that all aid to Gaza is channelled through itself rather than Hamas, which won elections to the Palestinian parliament in 2006 and consolidated its control of Gaza by force a year later. |
| Although Israel and the Middle East Quartet refuse to speak to Hamas, UN agencies working in Gaza do co-ordinate with the Hamas government. | Although Israel and the Middle East Quartet refuse to speak to Hamas, UN agencies working in Gaza do co-ordinate with the Hamas government. |
| UN relief agency Unrwa says it has contacts with Hamas "even at ministerial level", but strictly on technical issues related to the delivery of its humanitarian services in line with wider UN policy. | UN relief agency Unrwa says it has contacts with Hamas "even at ministerial level", but strictly on technical issues related to the delivery of its humanitarian services in line with wider UN policy. |
| Do you think an international aid effort is enough to rebuild Gaza? Are you in the region? Send us your comments using the form below. | Do you think an international aid effort is enough to rebuild Gaza? Are you in the region? Send us your comments using the form below. |
| In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |