Hamas and the other terrorist factions in the Gaza Strip on Thursday rejected the third Qatari humanitarian grant, in protest of what they described as “Israeli political blackmail.”
Qatar has donated in late 2018 two assistance packages of $15 million dollars in cash in support of Gazan administration employees and the indigent. But over the past two weeks, the Netanyahu government has blocked the third package over the riots and shooting at IDF soldiers at the border fence.
“The Israeli occupation’s leaders have blocked entry of the funds into Gaza many times over the few past weeks to blackmail the Palestinian resistance and to exploit the humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip for electoral advertising,” Hamas announced on Thursday, after the Israeli cabinet had voted to allow the funds through.
Hamas Deputy Chief in Gaza, Dr. Khalil al-Hayyah, issued a press release announcing that Hamas had met with the Qatari Ambassador to the PA Muhammad al-Amadi and informed him that the terrorist factions had rejected the humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
“The Palestinian people would never be subject to blackmail by Israeli officials to promote electoral campaigning,” al-Hayyah added, referring to PM Netanyahu’s references to the Qatari funds in Israel’s mass media.
Al-Hayyah also said that Hamas’ rejection of the aid is also in protest of Israel’s attempts to evade “ceasefire understandings brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the United Nations,” over the weekly violent riots taking place every Friday by the fence, and frequently on regular weekdays as well. Hamas claims these are part of the Great March of Return and that they are peaceful. But countless photos and videos suggest they are far from that, and have escalated recently to live sniper fire aimed at IDF soldiers.
The senior Hamas official stressed that the riots would continue “until the Palestinian demands are met,” meaning when the Jews essentially jump into the sea.