Gaza, May 22 (QNA) - Undersecretary of the Ministry of Public Works and Housing in Gaza, Naji Sarhan, affirmed that Qatar is at the top of the countries that took the initiative to pledge to rebuild Gaza after the Israeli aggression last year, with a grant estimated at USD 500 million.
In a press conference held on the first anniversary of the Israeli aggression on Gaza in May last year, Sarhan explained that the reconstruction process in Gaza faces a number of challenges, the most important of which is the absence of real donors except the State of Qatar and a number of friendly countries, pointing out that the aggression against Gaza left direct material losses amounting to USD 420 million, as well as indirect losses.
He added that during last year's Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, 1700 housing units were completely destroyed, including five high-rises, and 60,000 housing units were partially damaged.
"So far, we have only managed to build 200 housing units since the beginning of the reconstruction plan," Sarhan said, accusing Israel of exerting pressure on the United Nations and other donors to slow down reconstruction in the Gaza Strip. (QNA)