Fayad to send $50 million for Gaza reconstruction

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salaam Fayad said he will transfer $50 million in emergency aid to Gazans whose homes were destroyed or damaged during Israel's offensive against Gaza's Hamas rulers. The UN is putting together a detailed report on the damage caused by the three-week war which will be presented to donor countries in Egypt on March 2. The conference is expected to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for rebuilding Gaza. Fayad, based in the West Bank, said the emergency payments would be taken from the current PA budget. Hamas initially said all aid to Gaza must go through them, however the international community is reluctant to do so, and senior Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar said Saturday that Hamas would be flexible on the issue.