Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi has been in contact over the phone with his Qatari counterpart Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on several occasions in the past few months, according to KAN public TV channel. Reportedly, the last conversation between the two men took place a month ago, focusing on tensions in the Gaza Strip.
Ostensibly, it was after that talk that Qatar agreed to continue its financial transfers to Gaza, with monthly installments of $30 million. The financial aid to the Gaza Strip should help the needy to overcome the ongoing economic crisis there. On Jan. 12, senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk confirmed that Qatar will continue to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza for another year.