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Israel managed $2 billion in Qatari aid to Gaza, investigation finds
An investigation by TIME magazine, based on internal documents and correspondence, reveals that Israeli officials played a direct role in managing and facilitating nearly $2 billion in Qatari humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip over more than a decade.
According to the report, the Israeli government did not merely approve the transfers but actively helped oversee the distribution mechanisms. This included determining how funds were allocated for fuel, food, and monthly cash assistance to specific Palestinian families. In 2018, a tripartite agreement involving Israel, Qatar, and the United Nations was established to regulate these funds under Israeli supervision.
The documents show that despite public criticism of Qatari funding, high-ranking Israeli security officials privately urged the continuation of the program. In 2020, then-Mossad Director Yossi Cohen sent a letter to Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani praising the aid for improving humanitarian conditions and regional stability. Additionally, officials from the National Security Council encouraged Qatar to maintain the existing transfer mechanisms.
While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sought to distance himself from the policy, the investigation suggests the Israeli government's involvement was more extensive than previously acknowledged. The report also notes that Mossad Director David Barnea met with Qatari officials in September 2023, shortly before the October 7 attacks, to discuss the continuation of the funding.
Entities
Benjamin Netanyahu · Gaza Strip · Israel · Mossad · Qatar · Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Israel helped manage the distribution mechanisms, including determining how funds were spent on fuel, food, and cash transfers to specific Palestinian families. ashams.com · palsawa.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Israel played a direct role in managing and facilitating approximately $2 billion in Qatari funds sent to Gaza over more than a decade. ashams.com · offthepress.com · dailycallernewsfoundation.org · palsawa.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Mossad Director David Barnea met with Qatari officials in September 2023 to discuss the continuation of funding. offthepress.com · dailycallernewsfoundation.org
- [○ 1 SOURCE] By 2018, an estimated $1.1 billion in Qatari funds had entered Gaza. palsawa.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] In 2018, a tripartite agreement was signed between Israel, Qatar, and the United Nations to regulate the funding under Israeli supervision. ashams.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Former Mossad Director Yossi Cohen sent a letter to Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in 2020 thanking Qatar for humanitarian aid that improved stability in the region. offthepress.com · dailycallernewsfoundation.org · palsawa.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has attempted to distance himself from the policy of Qatari payments. offthepress.com · dailycallernewsfoundation.org
- [● 2 SOURCES] R. L. Maoz, a former member of Netanyahu’s National Security Council, urged Qatari officials to continue transfers in 2020. offthepress.com · dailycallernewsfoundation.org