Hamas, the elected Palestinian Islamic movement that governs Gaza, says that the French initiative to hold an international peace conference is "a waste of time and a vaudeville". The conference aims to end the decades of conflict between Palestine and Israel.

A Hamas spokesperson says the French initiative is proposed in light of the continuous Israeli occupation, and its denial of Palestinians rights. But the Chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat has welcomed France's proposal to convene a peace summit on May 30th, which will also include Arab and European states. Meanwhile, Israel has banned the shipment of cement supplies for private projects in the Gaza Strip.

Israel’s suspension of cement supply deliveries in the Gaza Strip has left thousands of contractors without work. Hundreds of building factories have closed following the Israeli ban. But Palestinians are especially feeling the impact, because many homes were damaged during Israel’s 2014 assault on the coastal territory.

Mohamed al-Asar, contractor and owner of one of the closed factories, said that about five thousand Palestinian workers have lost their jobs.

"Blocking the entry of cement supplies affected 470 building material factories and about 5,000 workers in the Gaza Strip. This ban has not only affected these factories but also various private projects and the reconstruction operation in Gaza. Many citizens who lost their homes during the war are still living in the open air because of the ban Israel imposed on cement deliveries and the closure of crossings," Contractor Mohamed Al-Asar said.

A high-ranking official at the Hamas-run Ministry of Economy warned the situation will explode in the face of Israel if it continued to prevent cement deliveries into the war-battered district.

Israel says it’s limiting supplies into the Gaza Strip because it says materials earmarked for construction, specifically metal and cement, had gone to Hamas. A spokesman for the Israeli government said the suspension would continue until further notice. Israel had previously banned the entry of wood planks needed for the furniture industry claiming they’re products of dual-use that might be used for military purposes.

"Cement supplies go to system-approved citizens through certified distributors. These accusations are not accurate. The Ministry of Housing and Public Works is doing its best to keep the distribution of cement supplies under firm control and make sure that beneficiaries receive their share," Naji Sarhan, secretary of Housing & Public Works Ministry, said.

The Gaza Strip has received only 28 percent of the cash that was pledged by donor countries at the Sharm al-Sheikh conference in Egypt last year to help with the reconstruction. The people of Gaza have no other choice but to wait for a political solution.