Islamic Development Bank rebuilds projects in Gaza

The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) said Saturday it began financing of new reconstruction projects in Gaza strip. In a statement, IDB said it made the annoucement in its capacity as "manager of the projects of the GCC program for the reconstruction of Gaza." It said the new bundle of reconstruction projects would be estimated at USD 79.9 million. "The value of current projects of the GCC program amount to a total of USD 367.1 million," it added. These projects, it went on, were carried out in all sectors damaged by the Israeli aggression on Gaza late in 2008. Regional coordinator of IDB projects in Gaza Engineer Refaat Diab said the new bundle included reconstruction of housing units with a value of USD 42.5 million. Diab said IDB financed the renovation of the laboratory building in the Islamic University, Ghazi Al-Shawa School in Bein Hanoon, north Gaza, educational facilities as well as building six schools for refugee camps. He said the IDB was also providing generators for hospitals in Gaza, as well as buiding an ambulance center, a slaughter house and allocated USD four million for social care.