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Palestinian prime minister urges donors to honor pledges to aid Gaza reconstruction

Associated Press
Published | Updated

A Palestinian girl walks between the rubble of destroyed buildings in Shijaiyah neighborhood of Gaza City in the northern Gaza Strip, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2014. Delegates representing some 50 nations and 20 regional and international organizations attended a donor conference in Cairo, Egypt, on Sunday to help Gaza rebuild after the war between Israel and Gaza's militant Islamic group Hamas this summer. Organizers of the Cairo conference hope pledges of over 5 billion dollars will be paid over the period of three years to aid reconstruction in the Gaza Strip, which borders Israel and Egypt. Both countries have blockaded Gaza since Hamas took power there in 2007, causing the territory of 1.8 million people economic hardships and high unemployment. (AP Photo/Adel Hana) (The Associated Press)

A Palestinian collects wood from the rubble of his destroyed home in Shijaiyah neighborhood of Gaza City in the northern Gaza Strip, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2014. Delegates representing some 50 nations and 20 regional and international organizations attended a donor conference in Cairo, Egypt, on Sunday to help Gaza rebuild after the war between Israel and Gaza's militant Islamic group Hamas this summer. Organizers of the Cairo conference hope pledges of over 5 billion dollars will be paid over the period of three years to aid reconstruction in the Gaza Strip, which borders Israel and Egypt. Both countries have blockaded Gaza since Hamas took power there in 2007, causing the territory of 1.8 million people economic hardships and high unemployment. (AP Photo/Adel Hana) (The Associated Press)

Palestinians sit between the rubble of their destroyed building in Shijaiyah, neighborhood of Gaza City, in the northern Gaza Strip, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2014. Delegates representing some 50 nations and 20 regional and international organizations attended a donor conference in Cairo, Egypt, on Sunday to help Gaza rebuild after the war between Israel and Gaza's militant Islamic group Hamas this summer. Organizers of the Cairo conference hope pledges of over 5 billion dollars will be paid over the period of three years to aid reconstruction in the Gaza Strip, which borders Israel and Egypt. Both countries have blockaded Gaza since Hamas took power there in 2007, causing the territory of 1.8 million people economic hardships and high unemployment. (AP Photo/Adel Hana) (The Associated Press)

The Palestinian prime minister is urging international donor nations to honor their pledges to send billions of dollars to help rebuild the Gaza Strip after a devastating 50-day war against Israel.

Donor nations on Sunday promised to provide $5.4 billion, half of which is earmarked for rebuilding the war-battered territory. The Palestinian prime minister, Rami Hamdallah, said Monday it is critical that donor nations keep their promises. He noted that after a previous war in 2009, only a small fraction of pledged money was actually sent.

"Our plans are ready for the reconstruction, but it depends on the flow of the money," he said at a meeting with visiting U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon. "In 2009, most of the pledged money did not come. We hope that this time is different."