The Palestinian Authority said that Qatar and the United Nations have bypassed it with regards to the delivery of aid to the Gaza Strip.
A statement by the Palestinian government said on Tuesday that any action to ease the conditions in the enclave must be carried out through - or in coordination with - the PA, in a clear criticism of a recent move to bring in fuel into the Gaza Strip without coordination with the authority.
The government added that despite “obstacles it faced from the Israeli occupation… and the campaign of incitement and false accusations, it continues to assume all its responsibilities and is keen to mobilize funding and implement development projects, and all that contributes to alleviate the suffering of Gaza, through the government or in coordination with it.”
The statement came hours after Israel pumped Qatari fuel to the Gaza Strip after an agreement with the UN. A truck entered the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, while other trucks were expected to follow.
Fuel was allocated to alleviate the power crisis by helping to generate electricity at the only power station in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas sources in the Gaza Strip said that Qatar had paid the price of industrial fuel to the power plant for six months, but the PA refused to cooperate.
The PA took punitive measures against the Gaza Strip in an attempt to force Hamas to hand over the sector.
Palestinian officials have accused Qatar of trying to bypass the PA.
PLO Executive Committee Member Ahmad Majdalani described Qatar’s sending of fuel trucks to Gaza’s power plant without agreement with the legitimate Palestinian government as an attempt to fund Hamas in the territory unofficially.
The pumping of Qatari fuel has also caused tension with UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov, who has been accused by Palestinian sources of trying to meddle in the Palestinian affairs and bypass the Authority.
