An international conference gathered in Cairo to rebuild Gaza has amassed $3 billion so far in aid, one billion less than what the conference has aimed to provide for the Strip after a 50-day Israeli offensive.  

The coastal enclave was left devastated after an Israeli bombardment in July and August that killed over 2,200 Palestinians and left more than 12,000 others injured. Most of the strip's infrastructure and buildings were destroyed as well, including schools and hospitals.

Speaking at the conference, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said reconstruction will cost $4 billion, according to a plan prepared by the Palestinian government.

He said his government is in dire need of help to rebuild institutions that will be run by the new unity government.

While opening the conference, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said that ending the Israel-Palestine conflict is a duty for this generation.

He also said that Cairo has worked to end inter-Palestinian divisions and return the Palestinian Authority (PA) to Gaza in order to "emphasise the unity of the Palestinian territories."

"We will continue to back the Palestinian cause, accentuate its importance and make it a priority for the Arab world," he stated.

Qatar has so far led the way in donations, with a grant of $1 billion.

Bahrain has pledged $5.5 million, while Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates announced they would donate $200 million each.

International support

Beyond the Gulf, the United States – the first state to announce an aid package for Gaza – said it will give $212 million, while the European Union offered 450 million euros.

European states have also announced individual aid packages for Gaza - Germany (around $63 million), the United Kingdom (over $32 million), Ireland ($3 million) and Greece $1 million.

Sweden said it will give $100 million. Last week the country's new Prime Minister Stefan Loefven said that Sweden will recognise a new Palestinian state, underlining his support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"A two-state solution requires mutual recognition and the will to co-exist peacefully," Loefven said in his inaugural address to parliament, as AFP reported.

Speaking at the conference, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon pointed to the destruction of Gaza's infrastructure and homes along with UN facilities in the strip, which sheltered many Palestinians, and the deaths of many UN employees during the latest Israeli offensive.

Ban concluded by calling for large donations to rebuild the destroyed enclave.

The Gaza Strip has been subject to three wars in the past six years that have claimed 3,760 lives – 2,145 of which were in the latest offensive. Over 18,000 total people have been injured in the recurrent conflicts.

Around 100,000 housing units have been destroyed or damaged to varying degrees. Of these, about 20,000 homes were destroyed or severely damaged in the most recent offensive. More than 100,000 people are still displaced, with about 57,000 living in communal shelters.