Israel is considering a Palestinian Authority request to allow a NIS 105 million transfer to Gaza banks for “humanitarian reasons.” The PA says that Gaza banks have only NIS 252 million in their reserves, and that the amount is insufficient for the Gaza economy.
IDF sources said the money would be used to pay 75,000 members of Fatah who worked for the joint Hamas-Fatah PA and lost their jobs following the Hamas takeover of Gaza. While money transfers allow Hamas to pay its terrorists and to fund attacks on Israel, they said, failing to transfer money could harm the civilian population, which would find itself without currency to purchase necessary goods.