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United Nations officials said that nearly 100,000 beneficiaries will receive cash assistance at more than 700 distribution points.
The United Nations Special Envoy for the Middle East said that the United Nations will begin on Monday to distribute cash assistance to thousands of poor families in the besieged Gaza Strip under a plan funded by Qatar.
Since Israel’s attack on the Gaza Strip in 2014, Qatar has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to Gaza. But another round of fighting with Hamas, the Palestinian organization that rules Gaza, in May prompted Israel and the United States to request changes in spending to ensure they did not reach Hamas. Since then, they have been on hold.
A UN official stated that according to a revised funding plan coordinated by Qatar and the UN and supported by Israel, cash will be distributed to more than 700 distribution points throughout the Gaza Strip.
The UN Special Envoy for the Middle East, Tor Wennesland, wrote on Twitter on Sunday that nearly 100,000 beneficiaries will begin receiving cash assistance on Monday.
Officials did not specify whether or how to monitor distribution points to ensure that cash bypassed Hamas.
According to an agreement with Western-backed banks under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority (PA), Qatar should also provide assistance to civil servants in various ministries managed by Hamas.
However, the Palestinian Authority withdrew from the arrangement on Friday due to concerns that its participation would expose it to legal problems. Hamas is regarded as a “terrorist organization” by many Western countries.
Qatar’s funding plan for the poor in Gaza has won Israel’s support. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Monday that it will ensure that funds reach those in need while bypassing Hamas.
However, according to Bennett, the payment will be in the form of vouchers instead of cash, as the United Nations official said.
Bennett’s office said in a statement: “Grants are transferred through vouchers, not in suitcases like in the past.”
When asked about this difference, Bennett’s office declined to comment.
Bennett’s office added that officials are still trying to find a mechanism to distribute cash to civil servants without funding Hamas’ military activities.
Israel and Egypt block Gaza on the grounds of the threat of Hamas. The World Bank stated that these restrictions have increased poverty in the enclave, which is home to 2 million Palestinians.
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