CAIRO, February 27 (RIA Novosti) - The European Union will give 436 million euros ($552 million) to help the Palestinians rebuild the Gaza Strip after an Israeli assault at the start of the year, the EU mission in Cairo said Friday.
Benita-Ferrero Waldner, the EU external relations commissioner, is expected to officially announce the allocation of the funds at a March 2 conference on Gaza reconstruction in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
The EU has urged that border checkpoints be immediately opened for delivery of humanitarian cargos to the enclave.
More than 1,300 Palestinians were killed during Israel's three-week military operation in Gaza in January. The attack was launched by Tel Aviv to try and prevent militants firing rockets at southern Israeli towns from the Hamas-controlled enclave.
Damage in the Gaza Strip from the Israeli airstrikes and ground operations was estimated at $1.5 billion.
