Egypt, Qatar Agree to Supply Fuel, Building Materials to Gaza

 A father in the Gaza Strip transports his children on his motorcycle back from school. (Reuters)
A father in the Gaza Strip transports his children on his motorcycle back from school. (Reuters)
TT

Egypt, Qatar Agree to Supply Fuel, Building Materials to Gaza

 A father in the Gaza Strip transports his children on his motorcycle back from school. (Reuters)
A father in the Gaza Strip transports his children on his motorcycle back from school. (Reuters)

Qatar and Egypt have signed agreements to supply fuel and basic building materials to the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian sources familiar with the matter told Asharq Al-Awsat that the agreement will help address the salary crisis for Hamas government employees.

The announcement was made in Oslo by Soltan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi,Qatar's minister of state for foreign affairs, during a ministerial meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC), the international donor group for Palestinians.

Muraikhi affirmed that the joint collaborative efforts will contribute to improving living conditions in Gaza.

Muraikhi underlined the importance of the current understandings for facilitating the movement of travelers through Rafah border crossing and communication among all parties to calm the situation in the region.

The State of Qatar is working with various international community parties to reach a just solution that achieves peace and security in the sisterly State of Palestine, he added.

Qatar has been keen to provide many financial grants, humanitarian support projects and urgent relief interventions to improve the humanitarian, economic and development situation of the Palestinian people, Muraikhi noted.

“This constituted a key factor in improving living conditions, especially in the Gaza Strip, where the total amount provided has amounted to more than $1.5 billion, allocated for health education, housing, industry and agriculture sectors, as well as infrastructure projects, roads, and buildings.”

In August, Israel agreed with Qatar and the United Nations on a mechanism to transfer aid from the Gulf State to Gaza, boosting prospects for relief in the Palestinian enclave after it was devastated in an Israel-Hamas conflict.



UN's Humanitarian Affairs Agency Ramps Up Preparations to Provide Aid to Gaza

Palestinians walk along a street market in Khan Younis, central Gaza Strip, Saturday Jan. 18, 2025.(AP Photo/(AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Palestinians walk along a street market in Khan Younis, central Gaza Strip, Saturday Jan. 18, 2025.(AP Photo/(AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
TT

UN's Humanitarian Affairs Agency Ramps Up Preparations to Provide Aid to Gaza

Palestinians walk along a street market in Khan Younis, central Gaza Strip, Saturday Jan. 18, 2025.(AP Photo/(AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Palestinians walk along a street market in Khan Younis, central Gaza Strip, Saturday Jan. 18, 2025.(AP Photo/(AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

The UN’s humanitarian affairs agency says it has ratcheted up its preparations for providing aid to Gaza after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas takes effect.

Muhannad Hadi, the agency’s humanitarian coordinator for the territory, said Saturday the United Nations and its partners are ready to leverage the opportunity for large-scale relief, The Associated Press reported.

Hadi referenced in a statement the agreements reached on implementing humanitarian components in the first phase of the ceasefire, including the provision of supplies “including water, food, health and shelter to people across Gaza and the long-awaited release of hostages.”

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is set to go into effect at 8:30 a.m. local time (0630 GMT) on Sunday, mediator Qatar said. It will pause the fighting after 15 months of war and see the release of dozens of hostages held by the militants in the Gaza Strip and hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.