Qatari Cash to be Distributed to Gazans; PA Accepts Israeli Tax Transfer

Some 100,000 families in the Gaza Strip on Sunday were expected to receive stipends from Qatar geared toward alleviating the humanitarian situation in the enclave; which, in turn, Israel hopes will reduce ongoing tensions with Hamas. The announcement comes after Qatari envoy Mohammed al-Emadi crossed into Gaza on Thursday, apparently with tens of millions of dollars in hard currency. Israel has allowed Doha to transfer an estimated $200 million to the Hamas-ruled territory over the past year as part of a loose cease-fire agreed to in May. Nevertheless, intermittent violence has continued to erupt, with Gaza-based terrorists last week having fired six rockets into southern Israel, to which the IDF responded by striking Hamas military assets. On Friday, some 8,000 Gazans rioted along the shared border, even though Hamas was meant to curb the weekly “March of Return” demonstrations that have taken place for about a year-and-a-half. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority, which is facing a severe budgetary crisis, confirmed its receipt of over $500 million from Israel. The PA since February had refused to accept any of the approximately $150-$170 million in monthly taxes and tariffs Israel collects on behalf of and distributes to Ramallah due to Jerusalem’s decision to deduct $10 million each month from the total. The sum withheld is roughly equivalent to what PA chief Mahmoud Abbas’ West Bank-based government pays monthly to jailed terrorists and their families.