The Hamas deputy leader in Gaza announced that the
organization's leadership met with a Qatari envoy in
the Gaza Strip and informed him that they refused to
accept the third round of Qatari money, Arab media
reported.
"We will not turn Gaza into an area for managing
elections in Israel," senior Hamas officials told the
Qatari envoy.
The Hamas statement comes shortly after Israeli
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and the Security
Cabinet approved the transfer of the $15 million from
Qatar to Hamas in Gaza.
Israel had halted the money transfer on Tuesday
following the shooting of an IDF soldier by a
terrorist from Gaza. The soldier was lightly injured.
Israel has already allowed two installments of
Qatari money to enter Gaza, which is used for the
payment of Hamas employees in Gaza.
On Wednesday evening, it was reported that the
defense establishment recommended that the $15 million
be given to Hamas in order to calm tensions between
the two sides. Senior security officials also said
during the cabinet meeting that the Islamic Jihad
terrorist organization was responsible for shooting
the IDF officer and not Hamas.
They also claimed that the Hamas terrorist
organization has refrained from creating provocations
against Israel in recent days.