Hamas to compensate Gaza families

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Source: | 01-23-2009 13:51

The Hamas Movement says it will start activating a compensation plan for Gaza residents on Sunday. A Hamas spokesman says Gaza families whose houses were destroyed or damaged in the three-week conflict with Israel will be given money, aid and shelter.

An image grab taken from the Syrian state television shows exiled chief of Hamas Khaled Meshaal as he delivers a televised speech in Damascus. Meshaal, said on Wednesday the time has come to lift a ban on contacts with his Palestinian Islamist movement, in a speech aired on Arab satellite televisions.(AFP/Syrian TV)

The government will offer five thousand US dollars to each family whose house was completely destroyed. Gaza residents continue to suffer from the after-effects of the offensive, with cooking gas in short supply.

The UN has also promised it will quickly raise funds for emergency repairs in Gaza. Reconstruction could cost up to two billion US dollars.

Editor:Zhang Yun