The UN has orchestrated a deal for rebuilding in the Gaza Strip, giving prominent roles to the Palestinian Authority and the private sector, the UN’s top Middle East envoy has said.
Robert Serry said that the agreement on the supply of building materials “must get up and running without delay”.
He said that the deal, agreed with Israelis and Palestinians, enables building work to begin immediately.
Many buildings were destroyed in the conflict this summer.
Between 8 July and 27 August, more than 2,100 Palestinians were killed in Gaza. Over that time 66 Israeli soldiers were killed in fighting in and around Gaza and seven civilians were killed in Israel.
The UN says the vast majority of Palestinian deaths are civilian but an Israeli government official recently told the BBC that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had killed 1,000 “terrorists” during the assault on Gaza.
Mr Serry said that he saw “truly shocking levels of destruction to infrastructure, hospitals and schools” during a visit to Gaza last week.
He said that neighbourhoods had been razed and an estimated 18,000 houses flattened or severely damaged.
About 100,000 people have been left homeless, he said, “leaving families shattered and despairing”. More than 65,000 displaced Palestinians remain in UN shelters.
He said that while the ceasefire brokered by Egypt has largely held since 16 August, it is still “worryingly fragile with the underlying dynamics still unaddressed”.
The UN envoy said that the deal brokered between the two opposing sides addressed Israeli concerns that cement and other construction materials would not be used to rebuild Hamas tunnels, because building imports would be closely monitored.
He urged the reopening of crossing points between Israel and the Gaza Strip so that construction supplies would not be interrupted, stressing that fast work on reconstruction would provide a “signal of hope to the people of Gaza”.
Egypt is due to host a donor conference to discuss Gaza reconstruction on 12 October, supported by Norway.
“The crisis in Gaza is far from over and the window of opportunity to address critical needs and stabilise the situation is short,” Mr Serry warned.
The Israeli defence ministry confirmed that it had signed up for the deal.