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Palestinian Delegation Visits Egypt to Discuss Gaza Reconstruction

Egyptian workers in the Gaza Strip work to remove the rubble of destroyed buildings
Egyptian workers in the Gaza Strip work to remove the rubble of destroyed buildings
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Palestinian Delegation Visits Egypt to Discuss Gaza Reconstruction

Egyptian workers in the Gaza Strip work to remove the rubble of destroyed buildings
Egyptian workers in the Gaza Strip work to remove the rubble of destroyed buildings

A Palestinian government delegation left Sunday for Egypt to discuss the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip after the 11-day war with Israel, according to Palestinian sources.

The sources told the German News Agency that the delegation includes officials from the ministries of public works, housing, and economy in Gaza, accompanied by the head of the Contractors Union in the Strip.

The delegation left for Egypt through the Rafah crossing on a several-hour visit.

The Ministry of Public Works and Housing in Gaza began on Friday the removal of rubble from collapsed buildings with Egyptian support to pave way for reconstruction efforts.

Egypt sent about 50 trucks to Gaza through the Rafah crossing to help with the process.

Local sources in Gaza estimate that the fighting between Israel and Hamas has left up to 300,000 tons of rubble.

The Ministry of Public Works in Gaza said that 1,200 housing units were completely demolished, 1,000 housing units were partially destroyed, and 20,000 housing units were slightly damaged.

The cost of the reconstruction of those housing units was estimated at $150 million.

Egypt sponsored the ceasefire agreement between the Palestinian factions and Israel in the Gaza Strip after the 11-day war, during which more than 250 Palestinians were killed.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian government announced that Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh is scheduled to arrive in Doha Monday on an official visit to discuss several issues, including the reconstruction of Gaza.

Shtayyeh, accompanied by Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki, will hold meetings with Qatari officials to discuss the ramifications of the Israeli aggression on Gaza, including the resumption of international and Qatari aid to Palestine.

The PM will also discuss with the Qatari officials the promotion of trade between Qatar and Palestine and the creation of job opportunities for Palestinians in the Gulf country.

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Egypt Arrests Travel Agents for Illegally Facilitating Hajj Trips

Regular pilgrims performed the Hajj without significant difficulties. (Egyptian Ministry of Solidarity)
Regular pilgrims performed the Hajj without significant difficulties. (Egyptian Ministry of Solidarity)
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Egypt Arrests Travel Agents for Illegally Facilitating Hajj Trips

Regular pilgrims performed the Hajj without significant difficulties. (Egyptian Ministry of Solidarity)
Regular pilgrims performed the Hajj without significant difficulties. (Egyptian Ministry of Solidarity)

Egypt is prosecuting tourism companies for illegally facilitating pilgrims’ travel to Makkah, following reports about the death of hundreds of Egyptian pilgrims during this year’s Hajj season.
On Thursday, the Public Prosecution said it kicked off urgent investigations into tourism companies that arranged the travel of “irregular” pilgrims. It also detained, for four days, two of the defendants accused of “wrongfully causing the death in Alexandria of a woman because of the lack of the appropriate transportation and accommodation” during her travel”.
The Public Prosecution also detained an official of another tourism company. The man is facing a lawsuit submitted by the two sons of a woman who had died during the pilgrimage.
Last week, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly ordered 16 tourism companies to be stripped of their licenses and referred their managers to the public prosecutor’s office for illegally facilitating pilgrims’ travel to Makkah.
The Parliament’s Tourism and Aviation Committee called for developing a new mechanism to grant visas of various types to Egyptians through coordination with the Saudi side and the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The committee convened on Wednesday and saw demands from a number of representatives to open investigations into the tourism companies that illegally facilitated the travel of pilgrims to Makkah, which led to a number of deaths due to the lack of appropriate services.
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, MP Amani Al-Shaouli, Secretary of the Tourism and Aviation Committee, stressed that Parliament will follow up with the ministries of Tourism and Foreign Affairs to implement the committee’s recommendations and address any loopholes that are being exploited to violate the laws regulating the performance of Hajj, in coordination with the Saudi authorities.