The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) is scheduled to transfer $12.5 million to its workers in Hamas-controlled Gaza on Tuesday. The money is for salaries and what are desribed as economic needs.
With a number of Hamas members on the UNRWA staff, there is deep concern about the fact that here is nothing to stop the dollars from being exchanged for the half a billion shekels being held in Gaza banks. Hamas leaders have been begging for dollars for a number of weeks to make purchases via the smuggling tunnels between Gaza and Egypt, which only accept the American currency. The Hamas leaders say publicly that they want the money for what is defined as humanitarian purposes, but it must be noted that the tunnels are used principally to bring in weapons in addition to foodstuffs.