Int´l community to aid Gaza reconstruction

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A Palestinian man carries a bag of food aid from the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Rafah, January 2009. (AFP/File/Said Khatib)

Mark Regev, Israeli Gov't Spokesman, said, "Israel fully supports the conference and the idea to strengthen support for the people of Gaza, both immediate humanitarian aid and reconstruction. But we must be clear, like the international community, Israel does not want to see support to Hamas, we want to see support to the people of Gaza."

An estimated 15-thousand homes were destroyed or damaged in Israel's recent war on Gaza.

A Hamas spokesman said he hoped the conference in Egypt would find ways to rebuild Gaza without politicization and preconditions.

Fawzi Barhoum, Hamas Spokesman, said, "We hope this conference will be fruitful in making positive steps, because rebuilding is a legal, moral and humanitarian issue."

For reconstruction to move forward smoothly, a series of events would first have to occur.

Gaza's Hamas rulers would have to reconcile with their moderate West Bank rivals led by President Mahmoud Abbas.

Then Hamas would have to soften its violent anti-Israel ideology and agree to share power with Abbas.

Finally, Israel would have to recognize the new government, despite Hamas' role in it, and lift the blockade.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei