Qatar, Egypt sign deals to supply Gaza fuel, building materials

Palestinian boys cycle past a convoy of bulldozers provided by Egypt arriving at the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Palestinian Gaza Strip enclave on June 4, 2021 [SAID KHATIB/AFP via Getty Images]

Qatar and Egypt have signed agreements to supply fuel and basic building materials to the Gaza Strip, which has been under strict Israeli siege for more than 15 years, the Qatari Foreign Ministry announced yesterday.

According to Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Soltan Bin Saad Al Muraikhi, these joint collaborative efforts will contribute to improving living conditions in Gaza.

This announcement came months after the latest Israeli offensive on Gaza which, according to the authorities in the enclave, destroyed about 2,200 homes completely and 37,000 damaged partially.

The Israeli bombing of the besieged enclave also killed at least 253 Palestinians, including 67 children, 41 women and 16 elders.

Israel, which has imposed a tight land, air and sea blockade on Gaza since 2007, limits construction materials entering the territory, claiming that Hamas uses them to build weapons to wage attacks.

However, following an agreement with the United Nations and Qatar, Israel allowed financial aid from the Gulf state to enter Gaza.

Gaza officials estimate it will take $479 million to rebuild homes and infrastructure damaged in the May bombing.

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