World gathers in Egypt to raise funds for Gaza reconstruction

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has arrived in in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh for a conference to put together an aid package to help rebuild the Gaza Strip.

Delegates from more than 70 countries are in attendance, but the Islamist Hamas which runs Gaza is excluded. Estimates suggest that 1.2 billion euros will be needed to rebuild the strip after Israel’s 22-day military assault. Israel claims to support the conference and the people of Gaza, yet the border crossings remain closed. The meeting looks set to raise around 2.2 billion euros. However, aid agencies say the path to reconstruction will be blocked every step of the way by political and logistical factors.

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