Hamas employee after receiving her salary paid by Qatar Reuters Employees of the Hamas administration in Gaza on Friday began collecting their salaries, after Qatar pumped more money into the territory with Israel's blessings.

Hundreds of employees of Hamas government departments waited in long queues outside banks in the Gaza Strip from the early hours, AFP reported.

The Hamas-run “finance ministry” in Gaza announced in a statement to local media that the money would be distributed over the next two days, with employees receiving 50 percent of their salaries.

On Thursday, Qatar transferred $15 million to Gaza via the Erez crossing with Israel, through the Qatari envoy to the region, Mohammed al-Amedi.

This was the second installment of the Qatari grant, which will see a total of $90 million is to be distributed in six monthly installments of $15 million, primarily to cover salaries of officials working for Hamas.

The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority has denied funding to officials in Hamas-ruled Gaza, after Hamas failed to reinstate PA control over the coastal enclave following last year’s reconciliation agreement .

Despite the cash flow, the weekly demonstrations along the Israel-Gaza border continued on Friday, though they were far smaller than in previous months.

20 Palestinian Arabs were wounded by Israeli fire during protests along the border Friday, the Hamas-run “health ministry” in said.

Shortly after the first Qatari payment to Hamas, Gaza-based terrorist groups fired a barrage of 500 rockets towards Israel in one day. One person was killed and over 50 injured from rocket and mortar strikes, and a number of private homes were struck during the onslaught.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)

Tags: Hamas , Qatar , Gaza Region