Qatar smuggles $14m into Gaza via Erez Crossing

Reliable sources in Gaza have exclusively stated to Egypt Today that Israel secretly allowed Qatari Ambassador to Gaza Mohammad al-Ammadi to enter Gaza through Erez Crossing to deliver $14 million to extremist groups.

Sources affirmed that Qatar has been generously pumping large sums of money to Gaza under the guise of the Qatari-funded construction project; these sums, according to the sources, are mainly directed to fuel insurgence in the Sinai Peninsula.

The Erez Crossing is a border corssing on the Israel-Gaza barrier; Israel only permits Palestinian residents to travel via Erez in “exceptional humanitarian cases, with an emphasis on urgent medical cases”, according to Gisha.

The sources also highlighted Doha’s aim to disrupt Egypt’s efforts in the Palestinian reconciliation, not to mention preserving how Qatari officials are taking advantage of the Erez Crossing in coordination with the Israeli authorities, without being subjected to the usual procedures of traveling through it.

According to the sources, the Doha-based Al Jazeera channel is masking Doha’s ties and agreements with Israel through broadcasting reports and news that are allegedly against Israel’s policies.

Furthermore, Qatar has been funding extremist groups and militias and hiring armed mercenaries to carry out terror operations near the border between Gaza and Egypt to serve Doha’s schemes and agendas in the region, the sources added.

Terrorist leader Mumtaz Daghmash, along with a number of Salafi jihadism leaders, have also been relied on by Qatar to carry out a series of attacks and bombings in Egypt, while transferring funds to terrorists and mercenaries in Sinai via tunnels between Egypt and Gaza.
The U.S. State Department in 2011 issued a notice on Daghmash, saying he committed, and poses a significant risks of committing, acts of terror that threaten the security of U.S. nationals and security.

The sources affirmed that Qatar aims to destabilize Egypt’s national security by backing and financing terrorism figures and groups.

The sources also added that Salafi jihadism groups in Gaza are being funded by the Qatari regime to take over as many mosques in Gaza to recruit “weak-minded” youths and convince them into carrying out dangerous operations in Sinai.

Qatar has been backing and financing a number of extreme terror groups, including the Army of Islam, Organization of Monotheism and Jihad and the Helpers of Sunnah Assembly.

Parliament Member Mohamed Al-Komi told Egypt Today in an interview that allowing Ammadi to enter Gaza through Erez Crossing reveals close relations between Qatar and Israel.

Komi pointed out to a Qatari-Israeli scheme to finance terror groups to destabilize the Arab region, and temper with interests of Arab countries, thus taking over the region.

“Israel is using Qatar to finance extremists with an aim to foil the Palestinian reconciliation, initiated by Egypt, for Israel has been strongly opposing it,” Al-Komi added.