Rafah crossing in Gaza (archive photo)
Photo: AP
Hamas official allowed to enter Gaza with USD 569,000
Senior group member permitted to Strip Saturday with cash after signing document stating money would be used for government purposes only
A senior Hamas official was permitted to enter the Gaza Strip on Saturday with USD 569,000 in cash after he signed a document stating the money would be used for government purposes, a Palestinian security official said.
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Salah Bardaweel was detained for a half-hour with the bag of cash, but finally allowed to cross the Gaza-Egypt border, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media.
The Hamas government, buckling under the pressure of severe international sanctions that have made it impossible to pay three months of salaries to 165,000 employees, has been trying to get money into Gaza through various means.
Arab countries have pledged to give Hamas financial assistance to make up for the U.S. and Western sanctions. But banks have been reluctant to transfer the money to the Palestinian Authority, fearing they will be penalized for transferring money to terrorists.
Hamas, sworn to Israel’s destruction, is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union.
