UNRWA chief: Gaza blockade must end

A seven-year blockade on the Gaza Strip must end to enable reconstruction and a political solution must be found to resolve the conflict, a UN official said on Saturday.

"Huge swathes of Gaza have been levelled. We cannot rebuild it with our hands tied behind our backs," said Chris Gunness, spokesman for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).

"The blockade must end. We are beyond the realm of humanitarian action alone. All those directly and indirectly responsible for the carnage and destruction must engage," he said.

UN agencies and the Palestinian Authority are now working on a reconstruction plan which includes rebuilding water, sewerage facilities and electricity supplies.

"This is an urgent priority. Without it people simply cannot go home. Rubble removal is also an important aspect of this for which we are planning to use local workers to boost the local economy," Gunness said.

Gunness said that Israel has legitimate security concerns, but that collective punishment of the 1.8 million Palestinians packed into Gaza had been "ineffective".

"It is time for Israel to enable, not disable. It is time for the world to recognise the blindingly obvious -- that the Gaza conflict requires a political solution," he said.