Palestinians say they reject any Israeli involvement in the transfer of Qatari cash to Gaza.
Palestine’s Hamas has informed Qatar’s envoy to Gaza that it does not accept Israeli involvement in the transfer of Qatari cash aid to families in need in the besieged enclave, according to Palestinian media Al Quds.
The group said it rejected Israel’s interference with the names of the beneficiaries, and the removal of many from a list of those in need.
UN chief thanks Qatar for improving dire situation in Gaza through monetary aid
Israel’s Security Agency, Shin Bet, had reportedly received the lists of the beneficiaries for the Qatari grant, checked them, and removed up to two thousand names.
Hamas has warned of continued unrest along the border fence with Israel until their demands are fully met, which also includes an end to the 16-year-long Gaza siege.
The comments were made to Qatari envoy Mohammed al-Emadi who is currently in Gaza.
Last week, the United Nations (UN) and Qatar came to an agreement to resume Qatari cash payments with the oversight of Israel over the recipients of the payments, according to Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz.
Gantz said that this new mechanism “ensures the money reaches those in need, while maintaining Israel’s security needs.”
Under a memorandum of understanding signed between the Qatari Gaza Reconstruction Committee and the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland, Qatar pledged to allocate $40 million to support nearly 100,000 families in Gaza.
According to a UN source, Qatar and the intergovernmental organisation will soon begin informing families in Gaza of their eligibility for cash assistance.
“Qatar had to reach an agreement with the UN over the entry of monetary aid to Gaza in exchange for a small percentage to the intergovernmental organisation for ‘administrative service,’” Hamas member Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzook said at the time.
As per the new agreement, Qatar is set to deposit the funds each month in a UN bank account in New York, from which it will be transferred to an unspecified Palestinian bank in Ramallah and from there to a branch in the Gaza Strip.
Under this agreement, Qatar will transfer $100 per month to 100,000 Gazan families via the UN and Palestinian banks in the form of reloadable debit cards.
Israel will oversee who receives these cards.
The UN has said that it hopes to begin the provision of cash aid to the besieged Gaza Strip over the next two to three weeks.
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