Germany wants to organise Gaza reconstruction conference
Chancellor Friedrich Merz says his government seeks to arrange the international conference in a joint effort with Egypt.
The main goal of this conference “should be to address the most urgent needs, such as rebuilding water and energy supplies and medical care”, Merz said in a statement.
As we reported earlier, Germany pledged to provide 29 million euros ($34m) in immediate humanitarian aid for Gaza, following Israel’s ratification of the ceasefire deal with Hamas.
Qatar to spearhead reconstruction, humanitarian efforts in Gaza
We know that yesterday, Qatar’s top diplomat was in Paris meeting other foreign ministers and officials with respect to looking forward after this first phase of the Gaza ceasefire.
If this ceasefire holds – hopefully – the next phase brings with it complications with respect to governance, eventual reconstruction, and things like the disarmament of Hamas.
A statement just released by Qatar states that Doha will be spearheading reconstruction efforts and humanitarian support in Gaza. It said it will include humanitarian grants, and it’s something both the US and Israel have accepted. They’ve accepted Qatar’s leadership in these efforts, interestingly, with respect to future governance and this thorny issue of some sort of interim authority in the Gaza Strip.
This statement said Qatar emphasises local leadership, not outside imposition, which will be crucial for lasting peace. They said Palestinian sovereignty and agency must be respected. Only Palestinians should determine Gaza’s future.
Many Palestinians have reservations about the role of Western countries, especially their role in some form of interim administration in Gaza.
