Algeria announces $30m aid package for Jenin reconstruction

Algeria has pledged a $30 million towards the Palestinian Authority for the reconstruction of Jenin, following Israel’s largest military operation on the occupied West Bank city since 2002.

In a statement announcing the package on Thursday, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune slammed the “barbaric criminal aggression carried out by the Israeli occupation forces against the town of Jenin and its camp”.

"Algeria expresses once again its everlasting solidarity with the Palestinian people's struggle," the statement, posted to the Algerian presidency’s Facebook page, added.

The Israeli raid began on Monday, lasting four days and killing 12 Palestinians, including four children. The Israeli army claimed that one of its soldiers was killed in confrontations with Palestinian fighters during the raid.

Scores of Palestinians were wounded and dozens of families who were forced to leave their homes in the Jenin camp, with many unable to return due to the severity of the damage.

On Thursday, a Palestinian ministerial committee formed by the PA to assess the damage said that over $15.5 million would be needed for the city's reconstruction.

Along with Algeria's pledge, the UAE announced $15 million in aid for Jenin.

Locals have warned, however, that Jenin's reconstruction will take far more than what authorities have assessed.

"The damage in the camp is far greater than the sums announced by the government, not only in the infrastructure but also in private property," Najat Btmeh, a resident of Jenin and director of the women and children's centre in the camp, told The New Arab.

"The part that doesn’t get registered are the psychological needs, especially for children," she added, highlighting the trauma experienced by the residents.