EXCLUSIVE PICTURES
A delegation from Qatar has arrived in Gaza to begin projects which are part of the $300 million grant from the Gulf Emirate for the reconstruction of the besieged territory. According to Palestinian sources, Ambassador Mohamed El-Ammady is heading the delegation which has already met Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and a number of his cabinet ministers and officials.
The visit is expected to last for 10 days, during which delegates will tour a number of areas to be rebuilt thanks to Qatar’s grant. The visitors are expected to lay the foundation stones of a number of buildings, especially reconstruction in the main Salah al-Din area, as well as the new Sheikh Hamad residential city.
The Emir of Qatar, HH Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al-Thani, agreed to finance Gaza reconstruction during a meeting with Mr. Haniyeh on the Prime Minister’s tour of Gulf Countries last year.
Large areas of the Gaza Strip were devastated during Israel’s assault and invasion in 2008/9, in which 1,400 Palestinians were killed, one-third of them children.
MEMO Photographer: Mohammed Asad