Japan PM Aso offers $10 mn humanitarian aid to Gaza

TOKYO: Japan pledged $10 million in humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip on Saturday, which has been pounded by Israeli air strikes for more than a week, officials said.

Prime Minister Taro Aso made the offer in a telephone conversation with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, the government officials said.

Abbas, who has not had power over the Gaza Strip since the Hamas Islamist movement gained control of the region in June 2007, thanked Japan, the officials said.

Premier Aso also called on Abbas to make efforts to bring about a cessation of hostilities during which militants in the Gaza Strip have fired rockets into Israel.

On Wednesday, Aso asked his Israeli counterpart Ehud Olmert by telephone to halt the air strikes and allow transportation of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

In response, Olmert said the attacks against Hamas were being made in self-defence and promised cooperation over delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

At least 436 Palestinians have been killed and 2,290 wounded in some 750 strikes carried out by air and sea, according to Israeli officials.

Japan, which relies on the Middle East for nearly all of its oil, has traditionally kept good relations with Arab nations and Iran.

The world's second largest economy, Japan has sought a more active role in the Middle East and has spearheaded a project to bring jobs to the West Bank.