International donors have pledged US$4.481 billion of donation to shore up the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian economic recovery, building hope for ending the Palestinian tragedy, but numerous difficulties make the task still a tough one.

"It's beyond of our expectations," chairing Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said at a press briefing following the Gaza aid conference held in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday.

In addition to previous pledges, the total sum of international donations reached US$5.2 billion, exceeding the Palestinian request of amount of US$2.8 billion.

The Israeli attacks against Gaza has left the enclave in a severe humanitarian state. The offensive killed more than 1,400 Palestinians and wounded 5,500 others, and also destroyed more than 14,000 homes, 68 government buildings and 31 offices of nongovernmental organizations, according to UN reports.

Reconstruction efforts to be tough

Despite the large sum of money pledged, several problems are going to hinder the rebuilding road.

Uncertainty exists in fulfilling the international pledged donations as the donations would be extended in two years.

Who will receive the donations also remains a block for the effective use of the money.

The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in the West Bank and the Hamas-run government in Gaza have each insisted on leading the rebuilding effort, but the Western donors, who consider Hamas as a terror group, had vowed that no funds would go to the Islamic movement.

PNA chairman Mahmoud Abbas also said last Saturday that the international aid has to go through the PNA in coordination with international organizations.

The point is that while PNA has no access to Gaza after Hamas routed Abbas' security forces to seize full control of the Gaza Strip in June 2007, Hamas might on the other hand get nothing to finance the reconstruction.

Hamas, not invited to the Gaza aid conference, has slammed the conference as taking the Islamic movement away to achieve the political goals that the war on Gaza failed to achieve.

After all these, Israel still imposed a heavy blockade on Gaza, blocking movement of people and materials for the enclave's reconstruction.

Israel has demanded release of its soldier Gilad Shalit, held by Hamas, before lifting blockade, while Hamas has asked for the release of 1,400 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Shalit.

Peace process highlighted

Participants at the Gaza aid meeting have stressed that Gaza reconstruction efforts should go hand in hand with a Palestinian-Israeli peace process.

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged for a durable ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave, which he said must be the foundation of rebuilding Gaza.

Abbas also said that the rebuilding efforts will remain powerless and threatened without "a political settlement" to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, on her first Middle East trip since taking post, stressed that the international efforts to rebuild Gaza cannot be separated from the peace process between the Palestinians and Israel.

The new administration of the United States, a close ally of Israel, has seemed to adopt a more active policy in leading the efforts for the Middle East peace process.

"The US decision to contribute US$900 million...reflects the Obama administration's new attitude towards the Palestinian-Israeli dispute," an editorial of the Egyptian Mail news paper said on Tuesday.

"It sends a clear message to the coming Israeli premier that it will not tolerate further military atrocities against Palestinian civilians, or at least it won't tolerate its peace efforts being ignored," it added.

Obama has moved quickly on the Middle East issue. Days after assuming office, he appointed former senator George Mitchell as special envoy for the Middle East peace. At Monday's Gaza aid conference, Clinton has promoted Obama's policy, saying "The US is prepared to engage in aggressive diplomacy with all sides in pursuit of a comprehensive settlement that brings peace and security to Israel and its Arab neighbors."

Clinton is currently visiting Israel to carry out Obama's diplomacy.

"With the new US strategy, Israel, even if governed by far-rightist parties, will have no choice but to resume talks with the Palestinians and stop procrastinating," the editorial said.

But experts also warned that pushing the peace process too hard might instead run counter to a final settlement.