EGYPT'S EL-SISI TO INAUGURATE SUNDAY'S GAZA RECONSTRUCTION CONFERENCE

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi speaks during celebrations ahead of the 41st anniversary of the October 6, 1973 surprise attack, at the Army War College in Cairo October 1, 2014 (Photo: ahramonline/Reuters) — **Egypt President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi will open Gaza aid conference. The aid conference aims to attract donations for a Gaza ravaged by a 50-day Israeli offensive.** (Photo: ahramonline/Reuters)

Cairo, 18 Dhulhijja 1435/12 October 2014 (MINA) – Egypt President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi will inaugurate Sunday’s Gaza aid conference.

The conference, which is taking place six weeks after a 50-day Israeli offensive on Gaza, will be attended by Secretary of State John Kerry and his counterparts from dozens of countries, including France, Italy, Japan and Jordan.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and EU foreign policy Chief Catherine Ashton will also be among the participants, Ahram online quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

The conference aims at generating donations for rebuilding Gaza. Palestine looks to gather $4 billion in aid pledges to rebuild the Gaza Strip after it was devastated by a 50-day Israeli offensive on Gaza.

Cairo also sponsored indirect talks last August between the Israeli government and Palestinian factions that halted the offensive on Gaza.

The latest Israeli aggression against Gaza left at least 2,148 Palestinians killed and more than 11,000 others injured. According to reports, about 20,000 homes were destroyed and thousands of schools damaged by the Israeli air strikes.

Earlier in Gaza, Deputy Prime Minister of Palestine, Muhammad Mustafa, said the conference is expected to result in international efforts to bring aids for reconstruction in Gaza so that people can go back their home.

He said a large number of Gazans have been able to return to their homes after the cease-fire, but there are still more than 100,000 people from 20,000 families are still living outside their home in the refugee camps. (T/R04/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)