Financial aid as part of $480 million in aid allocated by Qatar, in Gaza
Financial aid as part of $480 million in aid allocated by Qatar, in GazaFlash 90

Palestinian Arab sources confirmed on Sunday that the United Nations has agreed to take on the responsibility of distributing Qatari monetary aid to families in the Gaza Strip, Israel Hayom reported, citing the Palestinian Arab newspaper Al-Quds.

Qatar has provided hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years to pay for electricity in the Strip, build new roads and hospitals, help Hamas cover the salaries of its civil servants and provide monthly stipends to poor families.

However, the recent 11-day conflict between Israel and Hamas changed matters, and Jerusalem has not agreed to allow subsidies from Doha into the enclave since then.

UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Tor Wennesland held several meetings and phone conversations with various elements last week, including Israel and Qatar, informing them of the UN's decision, sources said.

According to Al-Quds, the funds will be distributed via banks operated by the monetary authority in Ramallah rather than post offices and banks under Hamas rule.

Sources claimed that Israel would not oppose the matter, provided the distribution of funds was monitored by the UN to avoid them ending up in the hands of Hamas terrorists.

Sunday’s report follows a report on Channel 12 News on Friday which said that Israeli government is planning to put an end to the phenomenon whereby Qatar's monthly grants to the Gaza Strip enter the coastal enclave in the form of suitcases full of cash.

According to the report, the existing procedure will be replaced with a mechanism for transferring the money through a UN fund, which will make it possible to monitor where the money goes to.

The most recent $10 million grant from Qatar entered Gaza at the start of May, before the most recent round of fighting between Israel and Hamas.

Israel permitting the transfer of the funds to Gaza has been met with criticism, due to concerns that Gaza’s Hamas terrorist rulers will pocket the money and then use it for terror purposes.

Following Operation Guardian of the Walls, it was reported that Israel plans to reevaluate the way in which the Qatari money enters Gaza in order to ensure that the funds go to the needy population of the Strip and not into the hands of Hamas.