According to Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the Prime Minister of Qatar, the Gulf state will contribute $500 million for the restoration of the damage incurred during the recent hostilities between Israel and Hamas.
Engagement between the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) and Palestinian Hamas started on May 10. The Hamas fired rockets at Askelon, and this prompted retaliation from Israel as it defended itself from the unprovoked attack, reported Al Jazeera.
For now, the ceasefire will allow infrastructure to be rebuilt until the next conflict in this never-ending cycle of hostilities in the coastal territory.
#GAZA #Qatar to provide $500m to help rebuild Gaza, the foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said on Wednesday, following a ceasefire that ended the worst fighting in years between #Israel & #Palestinian militants. pic.twitter.com/kp0cuESUIc
— Children of Peace (@ChildrenofPeace) May 26, 2021
Sheik Abdulrahman Al Thani Tweeted the Gulf State's commitment, "Qatar commits to $500 million in assistance for Gaza reconstruction."
The sheik added, "We will aim to support our Palestinian brothers in establishing a state in order to accomplish a just and lasting solution."
Qatar frequently serves as a go-between for Israel and Hamas, or the Palestinian militant organization that has controlled Gaza since 2007.
Before this, Qatar has been actively giving funds in millions of dollars for humanitarian and development aid in between ceasefires to support the Gaza inhabitants.
The QNA news agency cited that the funds are for Gaza residents, who are most affected by these periodic conflicts. They are also the ones who are affected by Israeli retaliation that comes after hostile actions by Islamic militants. Part of the money is for the reconstruction of service facilities in Gaza and homes destroyed in the conflicts, cited Gulf News.
How the recent conflict started
This is the worst retaliatory action that Israel and armed Palestinian groups in the enclave started when Israeli forces sought to quell the protestors in Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, one of the holiest sites in the Islamic world and equally important for the Jews as the Temple Mount.
The fighting lasted about 11 days. The IDF launched aerial strikes and heavy artillery fire on the Gaza strip that resulted in 254 Palestinian casualties, including 66 children, and wounded more than 1,900 people, said the health ministry in Gaza.
The Hamas caused the deaths of 12 people and two children as they aimed rockets fired from civilian areas in Gaza, said the medics. As many as 357 Israelis were not lucky as they became intentional targets of Islamic militants.
There is a diplomatic effort to help a fragile Egypt-brokered truce to keep the hostilities from flaring up again on the sidelines. Plans to rebuild the Gaza strip after heavy fighting left the whole area in shambles with debris everywhere. All infrastructure was affected, with buildings being leveled by the heightened conflict before the ceasefire.
A week ago, Cairo sent word also of $500 million funds to help the affected Palestinians living with the Israeli blockade for more than 13 years.
Qatar said it would pledge $500 million as the Egyptian brokered ceasefire must hold to allow the rebuilding of the Strip.
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