Qatar has offered tons of of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} to Gaza’s poorest households lately.
Hamas welcomed on Friday an settlement reached with Qatar to renew support funds to 1000’s of households within the Gaza Strip.
Israel on Thursday introduced it reached an settlement with Qatar for the Gulf nation to renew support funds, a step geared toward easing tensions with the Hamas-ruled Palestinian territory within the wake of an 11-day struggle in Might.
“The announcement by the brothers in Qatar about reaching an settlement with the United Nations to usher in a part of the Qatari grant is a part of an appreciated Qatari effort to ease the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip,” Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem mentioned.
Qatar has offered tons of of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} to Gaza’s poorest households lately.
The funds have been a key supply of stability for the impoverished territory, the place unemployment is hovering at round 50 p.c.
However for the reason that Might struggle, Israel has blocked the funds, insisting on safeguards that not one of the cash will attain Hamas.
Beneath the system earlier than the struggle, some $30m in money was delivered in suitcases to Gaza every month via an Israeli-controlled crossing.
Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz mentioned underneath the brand new association, funds can be transferred by the United Nations on to the financial institution accounts of Gaza households.
Israel, he mentioned, would preserve oversight over the checklist of recipients. The funds are anticipated to start within the coming weeks.
“We affirm that our individuals have the correct to have support in all its varieties enter the Gaza Strip,” Qassem mentioned.
Crushed economic system
Hamas has complained in regards to the delays in resuming the funds and threatened to renew preventing if the funds didn’t start flowing once more.
Earlier this week, Palestinian fighters fired a rocket into Israel for the primary time for the reason that struggle. Israel didn’t reply to the rocket assault, indicating that diplomatic efforts have been making progress.
Israel and Hamas are bitter enemies which have fought 4 wars and quite a few skirmishes since Hamas took management of Gaza in 2007, a 12 months after successful Palestinian legislative elections.
Israel and Egypt have maintained a decent blockade on the territory for the reason that Hamas takeover.
The blockade, which restricts the motion of individuals and items out and in of Gaza, has crushed the realm’s economic system.