Donor pledges not enough to rehabilitate Gaza
The Palestinian Authority needs at least $15 billion to properly restore Gaza’s economy, while donors have only pledged $5.4 billion for interim reconstruction.
The Gaza donor conference in Cairo on Oct.12 achieved pledges totaling $5.4 billion, half of which were allocated for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. Thus, Gazans are awaiting the start of the reconstruction, which they hope will put an end to their suffering.
The Gaza Strip has been subject to an Israeli blockade since 2007, with a noticeable easing since mid-2010. During the blockade it has seen three wars, with the latest one lasting 51 days and being the most severe in terms of the extent of the destruction it caused. Gaza's citizens expect the donors conference to allocate sufficient funds to address the destruction, and to lift the political and economic siege.
PA reconstruction plan
In a 76-page document drafted in pristine English, with linguistic and technical coordination, the Palestinian Authority (PA) presented the donors conference with a plan for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip at a cost amounting to $4.03 billion. The plan includes four categories:
