Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said on Monday that Hamas could address the humanitarian situation in Gaza if it stopped investing in war and killing people, and invested in development. Addressing the Knesset-faction meeting of his Yisrael Beytenu party, Liberman noted, "The budget of the military wing of Hamas in 2017 is $260 million. All of these $260 million were invested in tunnels and rockets. If they invested $260 million in their water system or in the health system, they would be in a completely different place. "Even last night, Hamas carried out a missile test, last night it fired three rockets at the sea, and this proves that despite the humanitarian situation and despite the lack of basic things, they continue to manufacture rockets and test rockets."
Liberman added, "Perhaps it should be emphasized that of all the funds that come to finance terror in the Gaza Strip, about $100 million come from Iran. The same $100 million is divided between Islamic Jihad and Hamas, and this says something about Iran's peaceful intentions."