Hamas members receive salaries in Rafah in south Gaza
Hamas members receive salaries in Rafah in south GazaAbed Rahim Khatib/ Flash90

The Hamas deputy leader in Gaza announced that the organization's leadership met with a Qatari envoy in the Gaza Strip and informed him that they refused to accept the third round of Qatari money, Arab media reported.

"We will not turn Gaza into an area for managing elections in Israel," senior Hamas officials told the Qatari envoy.

The Hamas statement comes shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and the Security Cabinet approved the transfer of the $15 million from Qatar to Hamas in Gaza.

Israel had halted the money transfer on Tuesday following the shooting of an IDF soldier by a terrorist from Gaza. The soldier was lightly injured.

Israel has already allowed two installments of Qatari money to enter Gaza, which is used for the payment of Hamas employees in Gaza.

On Wednesday evening, it was reported that the defense establishment recommended that the $15 million be given to Hamas in order to calm tensions between the two sides. Senior security officials also said during the cabinet meeting that the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization was responsible for shooting the IDF officer and not Hamas.

They also claimed that the Hamas terrorist organization has refrained from creating provocations against Israel in recent days.