The United States has pledged $212 million towards reconstruction in Gaza at a donor conference held in Egypt.
The Palestinian Authority is calling for $4billion in order to reconstruct the region, after an estimated 18,000 homes were destroyed and 100,000 displaced during the seven-week conflict with Israel.
US Secretary of State John Kerry addressed the conference in Cairo, saying, "the people of Gaza do need our help desperately, not tomorrow, not next week, but they need it now."
"Out of this conference must come not just money but a renewed commitment from everybody to work for peace that meets the aspirations of all, for Israelis, for Palestinians for all people of this region,” continued Kerry, adding “I promise you the full commitment of president Obama, myself and the United States to try to do that."
"Everything else will be a band aid fix, not a long-term solution... Everything else will be the prisoner of impatience and that has brought us to this unacceptable and unstable status quo," he concluded.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and foreign ministers from 30 different countries were present at the conference.
Palestinian President Mahoud Abbas told delegates, "the most recent Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip, which resulted in vast destruction and uncountable catastrophes is unbearable and cannot pass without consequence.”
"The international community should undertake its responsibilities by preventing the aggression, destruction, displacement and suffering of our Palestinian people and supporting our demand in ending Israel's occupation of our land and in realizing the vision of the two-state solution and the Arab peace initiative," he added.
The Palestinian Authority is calling for $4billion in order to reconstruct the region, after an estimated 18,000 homes were destroyed and 100,000 displaced during the seven-week conflict with Israel.
US Secretary of State John Kerry addressed the conference in Cairo, saying, "the people of Gaza do need our help desperately, not tomorrow, not next week, but they need it now."
"Out of this conference must come not just money but a renewed commitment from everybody to work for peace that meets the aspirations of all, for Israelis, for Palestinians for all people of this region,” continued Kerry, adding “I promise you the full commitment of president Obama, myself and the United States to try to do that."
"Everything else will be a band aid fix, not a long-term solution... Everything else will be the prisoner of impatience and that has brought us to this unacceptable and unstable status quo," he concluded.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and foreign ministers from 30 different countries were present at the conference.
Palestinian President Mahoud Abbas told delegates, "the most recent Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip, which resulted in vast destruction and uncountable catastrophes is unbearable and cannot pass without consequence.”
"The international community should undertake its responsibilities by preventing the aggression, destruction, displacement and suffering of our Palestinian people and supporting our demand in ending Israel's occupation of our land and in realizing the vision of the two-state solution and the Arab peace initiative," he added.