UN and Arab League ‘urgently’ appeal to Gaza donors

UNITED NATIONS — The leaders of the United Nations and the Arab League made an urgent appeal to international donors Friday to expedite aid promised to the people of Gaza, following last year's devastating war.

In a joint statement, Ban Ki-moon and Nabil Al Arabi expressed their "deep concern" over limited resources to improve the situation in Gaza.

They "urgently appeal to donors to honour and disburse as soon as possible their financial commitments made at the October 2014 Cairo Conference", the statement said.

Those funds include money for UN agencies in Gaza to "prevent a further deterioration in the already dire humanitarian situation".

The international community promised $5.4 billion to the Palestinians, half of which is to help rebuild Gaza after devastating Israeli bombing aimed at stopping Hamas rocket attacks in July last year.

The two leaders pointed out reconstruction has been slow in Gaza and aid is necessary to ensure stability for the people.

Short on money, the UN announced in January they had suspended housing financial aid to tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency, responsible for distributing much of the aid, has said none of the promised aid had arrived to Gaza.