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Middle East conflict

Egypt’s Cairo to host Gaza restoration conference

The forum seeks to “help Palestinian people which suffered heavy physical and moral losses and sustained major material damage” in an Israeli military operation

© EPA/MOHAMMED SABER

CAIRO, October 12. /TASS/. More than 50 donor countries and humanitarian organisations will participate in an international conference on Gaza restoration in the Egyptian capital on Sunday.

The forum which is initiated by Egypt, the State of Palestine and Norway seeks to “help Palestinian people which suffered heavy physical and moral losses and sustained major material damage” in an Israeli military operation, Egyptian Foreign Ministry said.

Any political and economic backing to the Gaza is aimed to preserve a constant ceasefire, ensure stability in the coastal enclave and to restore almost completely destroyed Gaza as quickly as possible. The forum seeks for Israel to lift restrictions on good delivery in the Palestinian enclave that will allow speeding up Gaza reconstruction, easing border-crossing rules and granting some economic benefits to the Gaza Strip. In particular, indirect Palestinian-Israeli talks raised these issues in Cairo from late August to early September.

A financial plan for Gaza restoration is expected to be laid out at a one-day conference. Many countries, including the United States, officials from the United Nations Organisation, the European Union, the Arab League, Middle East mediating Quartet, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have already confirmed that they will participate in the forum. Special presidential envoy for the Middle East and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov will represent Russia at the conference.

The Israeli military operation launched in the Gaza Strip in July lasted 50 days. For this period of time more than two thousand were killed and almost the whole economic infrastructure of the enclave was destroyed.

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Egypt Palestine Gaza Strip

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