World must continue sending aid for Palestinians: Abbas

LONDON (AFP) – Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas appealed Thursday for the world to continue sending aid to the Palestinian territories, despite the UN accusing Hamas of seizing aid for Gaza after the recent war.

"As far as reconstruction is concerned now, all the humanitarian help is coming in to Gaza, although there are many saying that this aid is being stolen," Abbas said after talks with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

"In spite of that, what we are saying is that the world must, must keep sending humanitarian aid.

"Now, as far as reconstruction is concerned, reconstruction must start today, yes, today, through the international organizations and agencies," he added at Brown's Downing Street office.

He added that while international bodies could help reconstruction in Gaza after its three-week assault by Israeli forces, "there is only one legitimate government, and this must be the only conduit through which aid comes."

Abbas insisted that "the side which is causing problems is not the Palestinian Authority."

"We want to see the reconstruction process as soon as possible, because it is impossible for 100,000 people to wait even further."

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) on Wednesday said Hamas has seized hundreds of food parcels and thousands of blankets destined for Gaza civilians in the wake of Israel's war.

"At 14:30 on 3 February, over 3,500 blankets and 406 food parcels were confiscated from a distribution store at Beach Camp in Gaza by police personnel," it said in a statement.

"This took place after UNRWA staff had earlier refused to hand over the aid supplies to the Hamas-run ministry of social affairs.

Virtually all aid delivered to Gaza comes from UN and other humanitarian agencies.

The deliveries are an exception to the crippling blockade of Gaza, but Israel has regularly responded to rocket attacks by preventing aid convoys from entering the besieged territory.