BRUSSELS: The EU said on Monday that European donors had put some $1 billion on the table to help initial recovery efforts in war-torn Gaza.
"We will present the initial package today of almost 900 million euros or one billion dollars," Dubravka Suica, EU commissioner for the Mediterranean, said ahead of a donor meeting in Brussels. "We now need the conditions on the ground that will allow the support to reach the people in Gaza."
The funds — which officials said include money already pledged to help Gaza — would be used to clear debris left from Israel's devastating military offensive and rebuild basic services such as water and sanitation. "The governments of Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, together with the European Commission and the European Investment Bank, are participating," Brussels said.
The EU said Suica had on a recent visit to Israel "reached agreement with the Israeli authorities on next steps for the implementation of two major projects in the areas of waste and water management in Gaza". — AFP
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