KUALA LUMPUR, September 20- The rebuilding and restructuring of the infrastructure in Gaza, destroyed in the seven-week war with Israel, will be the main priorities of the Palestinians, after an open-ended ceasefire last month.
Head of Hamas International Relations Department, Usamah Hamdan said about 500,000 Palestinians were left homeless as their homes were destroyed by Israeli air strikes.”The essential needs of the people such as housing, schools, infrastructure, and all that need to be reconstructed and rebuild before winter begins in two months,” he told Bernama in an interview here, today.
The Hamas spokesman said Gaza only has six hours of electricity daily as the Israeli had destroyed the main power station.”As such the infrasructure reconstruction is very important,” said Usamah who arrived here Tuesday for a five-day working visit.
Israel launched a major military operation in Gaza on July 8.Following several short lived ceasefires, Israel and Hamas agreed to an open-ended truce on Aug 26 which has so far held.
The United Nations (UN) said that 2,133 Palestinians were killed in the war, including 1,489 civilians. On the Israeli side, 66 soldiers and seven civilians were killed.Usamah said rebuilding Gaza would cost around US$5 billion.
“This must raise the question not only about money but why the Israeli have to destroy the infrastructure.”If they want to fight the resistance, they are not supposed to destroy the infrasructure like police stations, water resources, hospitals and schools.”
He urged the international community, particularly the NGOS and political parties to pressure Israel to totally remove the blockade on Gaza.Egypt will host a donors conference on the reconstruction of Gaza on Oct 12 in Cairo.
Israel’s persistent blockade of the Gaza has prevented raw materials from being brought into Gaza for reconstruction work.He also explained that after the ceasefire agreement, fishermen were allowed to take their boats as far as six miles offshore.”We are supposed to reach 12 miles and need the help of the international community to make that happen.
“Such pressure can be done by NGOs, political parties and this will finally give the Palestinians the chance to have the right to be an independent nation.”Usamah also praised the generosity of Malaysians in giving a helping hand to the Palestinians.
“The Malaysian government plays an important role to help the reconstruction of Gaza and also to support the unity government which is important for not only Hamas but all Palestinians,” he said.The Palestinian unity government of Fatah and Hamas was formed on June 2 after seven years of rivalry between the two main Palestinian factions, ending years of division.
– BERNAMA
