With the August 26 ceasefire between Israel and Hamas holding for now, attention is shifting to the reconstruction and development of Gaza. Humanitarian, economic, and social conditions were extremely difficult there even prior to the recent hostilities, and the Palestinian Authority has appealed for international assistance to the battered territory. Officials from donor nations are set to meet twice over the coming weeks: on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 22, and at a special donor’s conference in Cairo on October 12.

These meetings should cover not only the specific amount of aid required, but also the mechanisms through which it will be distributed and used. As was the case after previous crises in Gaza, Hamas control over the territory remains the biggest obstacle to large-scale international assistance. Whether the group is now serious about relinquishing effective control there is an open question. Regardless of the answer, it is imperative that the international community — along with Egyptian, Israeli, and PA officials — continue to assert that the PA government is the only legitimate go-between for the massive assistance now mooted.

Rounds of Fighting and Fundraising

The latest war was the third round of escalated hostilities between Israel and Hamas in the past six years. With respect to reconstruction, the latest round could follow in the footsteps of Operation Cast Lead (2008-2009). In March 2009, international donors held a large postwar conference under Egyptian and Norwegian auspices in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm al-Sheikh. Ninety countries and NGOs participated, and approximately $4.7 billion was pledged, including $1.6 billion for Gaza (the rest was for overall Palestinian economic development and PA support). The largest pledges came from Saudi Arabia ($1 billion), the United States ($900 million), and Denmark ($220 million of the total $1.25 billion pledged by Europe).

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