Gaza families start receiving Qatari financial aid

By Nour Abu Aisha

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) - Qatar began on Tuesday disbursing the latest installment of financial grants to 100,000 needy Palestinian families in the Gaza Strip, which is under a crippling Israeli-Egyptian blockade since 2007.

The Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza -- which is affiliated with Qatar’s Foreign Ministry -- said in a statement that each family will receive $100.

"The process will take into account the measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus to ensure the safety of the beneficiaries," it added.

The Palestinians queued up at post offices in the impoverished strip to receive their payments.

Poverty and unemployment in the blockaded territory has risen to unprecedented levels, and the situation is likely to worsen in light of the pandemic.

The oil-rich nation of Qatar has become a major donor to Palestinians. It is executing a number of health and education projects in Gaza, including the Al Fakhoora program to provide the young with education opportunities.

The Jewish state allows Qatari aid to enter the strip as part of an informal agreement between Hamas and Israel in November 2018.

About 80% of Gaza's population is dependent on humanitarian assistance, according to the UN.


*Ibrahim Mukhtar contributed to this report from Ankara