Palestinian sources claims that Muhammad al-Madi, Qatar's envoy to the Gaza Strip, informed Hamas this month that the value of the financial grant allocated to Hamas government employees in Gaza had been reduced from $10 million to $3 million.
According to the report, the Qatari decision surprised senior Hamas figures in Gaza, as it comes less than two months after an agreement was reached on allocating $10 million to the salaries of the employed. In total, the monthly grant from Qatar reaches $30 million, and also includes $10 million for the purchase of fuel for the power plant and $10 million for needy families.
The unexplained Qatari cut could create resentment in the Gaza Strip and is expected to be at the top of the agenda when Al-Madi arrives in Gaza. Meanwhile, it was reported that the Gaza Strip expects Al-Madi to announce soon that Israel is approving the issuance of permits to 10,000 workers from Gaza who can enter the Israeli market, as well as further easing of crossings that will help rehabilitate the Gaza Strip.