Qatar pledges $13.7m for Gaza projects

Qatar will donate 50 million Qatari riyals ($13.7 million) to the Gaza Strip, Head of the Gulf state’s Committee for Rebuilding Gaza Mohammed Al-Emadi announced yesterday.

Al-Emadi said that his country is trying to complete the deficit caused by the Palestinian Authority’s lack of payment of salaries in the besieged Gaza Strip.

He did not give more details about how his country is working to treat the deficit of the PA salaries, but stressed that this is happening because the Muslim month of fasting, Ramadan, is due to begin.

The announcement was made in a press conference during a brief visit to the Gaza Strip. Al-Emadi arrived in Gaza following a trip to the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah where he met PA Prime Minister Rami Hamadallah.

“In light of the continuous tragic situation the Gaza residents have been enduring, the PA reduction of salaries and the continuous closure of Gaza crossings, Qatar announces this grant to save the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza,” he said in the press conference.

READ: Qatar signs contracts for 3 new projects in Gaza

He noted that this grant is to be paid urgently for the different humanitarian sectors, mainly the healthcare, education, housing and food assistance.

Al-Emadi also noted that Qatar offered a $9 million grant to Gaza two months ago after international calls to save the besieged enclave.

During his last visit to Gaza, the Qatari official announced signing projects worth $5 million, in addition to opening a number of projects, which had been recently completed and announced the project to offer a million meals project for fasting Palestinian during Ramadan.

Last year, the PA cut 30 per cent of the salaries of its employees in Gaza. Last week workers only received a 50 per cent payment for outstanding wages owed for the past two months.

The PA has 60,000 employees in Gaza.