Gaza man dies at rally; Qatar diverts Hamas cash to projects
GAZA, Gaza Strip -- Israeli troops shot and killed a Palestinian man in Gaza as thousands took part Friday in a protest along the border, fueled by Hamas' rejection of Qatar cash after what the militant group described as Israeli "blackmail" and delays in transferring the funds.
The $15 million would have been used to pay civil servants in the Hamas-ruled strip but the militant group on Thursday declined to accept the funds. In turn, Qatar said Friday it was redirecting the money to U.N. humanitarian projects in Gaza.
Hamas also vowed to escalate the weekly demonstrations, which it has organized since last March to highlight the strip's dire economic conditions, exacerbated by more than a decade of Israeli-Egyptian blockade.
