Qatar channels goods via Egypt to rebuild Gaza

Qatar is to transport goods and materials to rebuild Israeli-blockaded Gaza via neighbouring Egypt, Qatari and Palestinian officials confirmed on Saturday. Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi and the Hamas premier Ismail Haniya, whose party rules the Gaza Strip, discussed the project in a telephone call, the Palestinian leader's spokesperson Taher al-Nunu said. "The blockage of construction materials and equipment for reconstruction projects in Gaza has been completely lifted. That's what we were informed by the Egyptian president," Qatar's ambassador, Mohammed al-Emadi, said. He said that the materials would enter Gaza through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. This is the first time goods will be transported through the crossing, which has only been used for humanitarian causes. On September 25, the ambassador announced that Qatar was to invest $254 million in Gaza, to build roads, for housing, infrastructure projects and agricultural development. Emadi also confirmed that Qatar had agreed to supply additional fuel to the Gaza Strip to end the current power crisis.