Israel Allows Qatar to Renew Aid to Gaza in Bid to Ease Tensions

Israel has agreed to allow the resumption of Qatari aid to thousands of families in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, in a bid to ease tensions with the Palestinian enclave following their 11-day conflict in May.

Israel blocked the payments after the fighting, demanding that a mechanism be put in place to ensure money doesn’t fall into the hands of Hamas militants. Prior to the conflict, tens of millions of dollars in cash from Qatar were delivered in suitcases, and Hamas has threatened to renew the hostilities if assistance to the impoverished territory isn’t renewed. On Monday, militants launched a rocket into Israel for the first time since the conflict ended.