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29 March 2024

Abbas says aid without peace 'insufficient'

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (C) arrives with his counterparts, French Nicolas Sarkozy (R) and Palestinian Mahmud Abbas (L), to attend the opening session of the International donors conference for rebuilding the Gaza Strip. (AFP PHOTO)

Published
By AFP
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas told international donors gathered in Egypt on Monday that financial aid without an end to the Middle East conflict would be "insufficient."

"We are all conscious that the reconstruction and development efforts will remain insufficient, powerless and threatened in the absence of a political settlement," Abbas said at the conference in Sharm El-Sheikh. "We appreciate your presence and the financial, economic and technical support that you are giving to the Palestinian people but we insist on the pressing need to achieve substantial progress towards a just settlement."

The Palestinians are seeking $2.8 billion in aid following the devastating three-week war on Gaza. US-backed peace talks aimed at creating an independent Palestinian state have been frozen since the war.