Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi stated that the Gaza Strip requires “far more” than the $500 million promised by Cairo for restoration in May 2021.

He expressed optimism that restoration projects involving Egyptian enterprises will be finished “as quickly as possible for the benefit of our brothers in the Gaza Strip” during his participation in the World Youth Forum in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh.

El-Sisi advised businesses to hire Palestinians rather than foreign labor in the region. He also urged donor countries to provide the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East “more help.”