More than 12,000 homes were destroyed in the war and 100,000 damaged. International donors including the US and Arab Gulf countries have pledged more than $5bn to help rebuild Gaza. The director of The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Robert Turner, criticised the blockade, calling on Israel to end immediately. "The blockade remains in place and its crippling effect on Gaza is undeniable, inexcusable," Turner said during a press conference in the territory on Wednesday. "I see a real willingness on the part of Israel to address some of its worst impact."Israel's economic siege, which has lasted for years, means badly needed construction materials like cement have not been allowed in, despite offers by the United Nations to oversee the process. Around 20,000 Palestinians still live in temporary shelters ranging from cargo containers to makeshift tents in what is left of their bombed-out homes.
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