Board of Peace official: Gaza reconstruction unlikely to begin soon

Reconstruction and rehabilitation programmes for the Gaza Strip are unlikely to begin in the near future, Nikolay Mladenov, High Representative of the Gaza Board of Peace, said.

“The people of Gaza are living in extremely difficult humanitarian conditions,” Mladenov said. “We are still a long way from beginning the process of rebuilding the Palestinian enclave,” he added.

Mladenov stressed the need to accelerate preparations for reconstruction, saying that “we must move more quickly towards the start of Gaza’s reconstruction” and that the Peace Council “has commitments from a number of countries on this issue," Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

Earlier, Mladenov called for the swift withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip and for building materials to be delivered to support the reconstruction of infrastructure and homes. He noted that “the funds raised for these purposes are insufficient”.

On August 28, Mladenov said the Board of Peace “had received pledges totalling $7 billion for the reconstruction of Gaza”.

By Sabina Mammadli