Gaza Strip suffered $9.5m losses from Israel strikes in early May

The Gaza Strip suffered financial losses of more than $9.5 million as a result of Israeli attacks during the escalation in early May, reported Xinhua.

The figure was given by Naji Sarhan, deputy minister of Public Works and Housing, during a press conference on Sunday, who said that the “losses affected agriculture, economy, health, education and infrastructure in the Gaza Strip”.

Sarhan stated that “a number of agencies and institutions have been approached to coordinate the relief aid”, including funds needed for those whose homes wither either destroyed or damaged.

READ: 2 Palestinians injured by Israeli fire in Gaza 

The ministry has said that more than 700 houses were damaged in Israel’s attacks in early May, with 130 destroyed.

In addition, “dozens of installations, workshops, shops and media offices were also damaged in the attacks”.

Xinhua reported that “Sarhan called on donor countries and international institutions to intervene to ‘protect the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip from repeated Israeli attacks and help lift the siege’ on the coastal enclave”.

The official also highlighted how some 2,000 out of the 11,000 housing units completely destroyed in the Israeli offensive on Gaza in the summer of 2014 are still awaiting reconstruction.