Qatari envoy arrives in Gaza Strip, transfers $30 million to Hamas
The Qatari envoy Mohammed al-Emadi arrived at the Gaza Strip through the Erez Crossing earlier on Monday.
By YASSER OKBI/MAARIVHamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh meets with Qatari envoy Mohammed Al-Emadi in Gaza City January 24, 2019. Ahmed Shaat/Courtesy of Hamas Chief Media (photo credit: HANDOUT/REUTERS)
The Qatari envoy Mohammed al-Emadi arrived at the Gaza Strip through the Erez Crossing and handed over $30 million to Hamas on Monday, and families are now being asked to check whether they received the $100 grant they deserve.After the last round of fighting last week, the Qatari Foreign Ministry issued an official statement saying that Qatar would transfer $480 million in support of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.From the promised budget, Qatar will grant $300 million in grants and loans to support the Palestinian Authority and its health and education sectors. An additional $180 million will be transferred for urgent rescue and humanitarian assistance to residents of the Gaza Strip. Qatar also said that the additional $180 million was intended to support the United Nations programs in Palestine, support the electricity services in the Gaza Strip and ensure that the Palestinian people had access to various sectors.The transfer of funds from Qatar to the Palestinian Authority and the Gaza Strip takes place a week after Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire.The decision was made in the framework of understandings reached by the parties through intermediaries. Hamas and Israel reached a decision that the two sides would stop the fire, and that the previous agreements and understandings would be fulfilled, including the expansion of the fishing zone and the continued money transfer through the UN.
