Originally posted to The Middle East Monitor website, 11 August 2020,
The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement is talking with Qatar about the renewal of its grant for the besieged Gaza Strip, local media reported on Monday. The talks are taking place amidst growing tension between Hamas and the Israeli occupation authorities.
According to informed sources, Qatar has agreed to renew the current grant, which is due to end next month. However, they warned that the government in Doha may postpone payment due to its pledges to help the people of Lebanon following the Beirut explosion.
The same sources explained that flying incendiary balloons from Gaza towards Israel is not related to the delay of the Qatari grant. Rather, it is because the Israelis are pulling back on some commitments made to the territory.
The projects pledged for Gaza as part of the understandings which led to a freeze on the weekly protests on the eastern nominal border with Israel include the construction of a US field hospital, the development of desalination plants, increasing the amount of industrial materials allowed into Gaza, and increasing the number of truckloads of exports from the territory.
Apparently, the Israeli occupation authorities have been trying to back down from these pledges since the formation of the new government. At the moment, communication is taking place between Egypt, Qatar and UN mediators to put an end to the balloons going from Gaza and bring some stability to the area. It is stressed that the mediators will not allow the situation to escalate.
Link to the original post: https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200811-hamas-and-qatar-discuss-renewal-of-grant-for-gaza/
