(VOVworld) – An international conference for Gaza reconstruction opened in Cairo on Sunday with delegates from 50 countries and 20 international organisations.

The war in Gaza destroyed an estimated 18,000 homes and more than 100 schools.

International donors pledged hundreds of millions of USD for reconstruction. At the conference, US Secretary of State John Kerry announced US aid of 212 million USD to rebuild the devastated Gaza Strip. Kerry called for a resumption of peace negotiations. Other countries also pledged to aid the Gaza reconstruction, including Germany with 63 million USD and Norway with 13 million USD. It is estimated that the Gaza reconstruction will cost 7.8 billion USD.