Hamas welcomes EU decision to continue humanitarian aid to Palestinians

Hamas on Monday welcomed the European Union's (EU) decision to continue the humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people.

Terming the EU decision as "a decision in the right direction," Hamas spokesman in the Gaza Strip Sami Abu Zuhri said in a press statement to reporters that "Hamas welcomes any foreign aid to the Palestinian people as long as it's not connected to trade-off on the Palestinian people's rights."

Such a decision indicated the failure of the American and Israeli pressures imposed on the European countries to besiege the Palestinian people and hamper Hamas, he added.

Meanwhile, Benita Firriro Wondler, EU's foreign relations chief, said the EU commissariat will release 120 million euros (about 141. 6 U.S. dollars) to the Palestinians on Monday to stave off a looming financial crisis.

She said among the 120-million-euro aid, 64 million euros ( about 75.52 million dollars) will be earmarked to the United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA) for humanitarian support, and 40 million euros (about 47.2 U.S. dollars) will be paid for electricity dues.

The Palestinian National Authority has largely relied on international aid to run its daily affairs.

However, following Hamas' victory in the Jan. 25 parliamentary elections, many donor countries, including the Quartet Committee of the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia, threatened to suspend financial aid if Hamas did not renounce violence, recognize the existence of Israel and abide by agreements reached between the PNA and Israel in the past.

Source: Xinhua