Gaza rebuilding conference to uphold ceasefire

The donors' conference on the reconstruction of Gaza, to be hosted by Cairo on October 12, aims at reaching a permanent ceasefire in Gaza Strip and providing political and economic support to Palestinians, an Egyptian official said.
"A report on the basic needs of Gaza's citizens would by submitted by Palestinian government in cooperation with the World Bank at the conference in which many officials will participate," Egypt's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Badr Abdel-Atti told reporters.
The conference would be held in cooperation with UN Secretary General, Arab League Secretary General and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, in addition to foreign ministers of the US, Egypt, Norway, Japan, France, Italy, Jordan and Quartet envoy, he added.
The spokesman underlined the necessity of implementing the UN Security Council Resolution No. 1860 and Cairo understandings relating to ceasefire in the war-ravaged Strip.
The conference, he pointed out, also seeks to strengthen the capabilities of Palestinian government to assume its responsibility toward the reconstruction and restore stability in the Palestinian territories.
He noted that the conference aims at strengthening the UN mechanism to import and export materials inside and outside Gaza and provide facilities.
He emphasized that the conference aims at providing required financial support to the process of reconstruction and specifying its essential needs.
The conference comes in light of a ceasefire agreement inked between Palestinian factions and Israel last August after holding indirect negotiations brokered by Cairo last September to reach an agreement on unsettled issues.