Naji Sarhan, the undersecretary of the Ministry of Public Works and Housing in the Gaza Strip, expected reconstruction, through the Qatari grant, to start in early October.
The UN has kicked off the distribution of the grant to 100,000 poor families in Gaza.
The Safa Press Agency in Gaza said families received a text message informing them to head to the nearest exchange office to receive $100 from the grant.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh said the grant is divided into three installments. The first, worth $10 million, aims to purchase fuel for Gaza’s power plant through the UN.
During a weekly cabinet meeting, the PM said the second, also worth $10 million, will be distributed through the World Food Program for four months.
Both these parts have been implemented.
He added that the third installment, worth $10 million, will paid as salaries to employees in Gaza.
These employees were appointed by Hamas after it seized Gaza in 2007. Palestinian banks have refused to deal with this part of the grant fearing legal prosecution.
Meanwhile, Sarhan said his ministry has started to send messages to citizens, requesting that they prepare lots to begin construction.
Speaking to local radio, he explained that the reconstruction process is directly tied to the situation in Gaza.
There are no guarantees that construction material will continue to flow through the border crossings, he added.
He remarked, however, that the movement along the crossings is better now than before, but nothing can guarantee that the Israeli enemy would not obstruct the flow.
