Qatar launches $3mn project to renovate Gaza houses

Qatar Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza has signed an agreement under which it will launch a project to renovate 600 houses for poor families in the Gaza Strip at a total cost of $3mn.

Head of the Qatar Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza ambassador Mohamed al-Emadi signed the agreement here on Monday. Speaking during the agreement signing ceremony al-Emadi said the project to renovate the houses of poor families in the Gaza Strip will be launched under the slogan "a decent home". He said that Qatar continues to support the Palestinian people to alleviate their suffering despite the "unjust" siege imposed on it. He asserted that Qatar's support for the Gaza Strip "will not be affected" by the siege measures announced by several Arab countries on June 5.The ceremony included the distribution of cheques to the families benefiting from the project. These included 127 families in the first stage which costs $1mn. The second and third phases will cover 600 families.Palestinian Undersecretary of the Ministry of Public Works and Housing Naji Sarhan praised the efforts of Qatar in supporting the Palestinian people and alleviating their suffering under the harsh siege imposed on the Gaza Strip for the 11th year in a row.Sarhan noted that the poor families were selected based on lists submitted by the Ministry of Public Works and Housing to the Qatari Committee according to the need of these families to help and renovate their homes. In addition, these families were selected after being examined by engineers from the Ministry and the Qatari Committee.He pointed out that the first phase will be completed within 3 months. Qatar Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza is carrying out dozens of vital and important projects in the Gaza Strip.Over the past five years, Qatar has already pledged $1.4bn worth of reconstruction money which has been going to hospitals, upgrading roads to housing projects.Some 2mn people live in the Gaza Strip, which has been under Israeli blockade for over 10 years. The UN has warned that the dire humanitarian crises afflicting Gaza would render the territory uninhabitable by the year 2020.