Two rockets fired into southern Israel, as Qatari envoy set to visit Gaza

It’s been a long night for residents in the south, as two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip on Wednesday evening and then again early Thursday morning.

First rocket sirens sounded in Nahal Oz in the Sha’ar Hanegev Regional Council when a rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel on Wednesday evening, according to an IDF spokesperson.

Both times the rockets landed in an open area and no injuries or damage were reported.

Before the first rocket was fired, Palestinian reports indicated that Qatari envoy Mohammed al-Emadi may have canceled a planned visit to the Gaza Strip after he was informed that he would not be allowed to distribute cash grants to families in Gaza.

The Palestinian Sawa News Agency reported on Monday, however, that al-Emadi will arrive in the coastal enclave on Thursday and will distribute cash grants to poor families in Gaza.

Shimon Aran of KAN News reported that Palestinian reports stated that the Qatari envoy had canceled his visit to the Strip this weekend because of Israeli opposition to the entrance of Qatari funds into Gaza. He later reported that after clarifying the matter, he found that the Qatari envoy had not, in fact, canceled his visit.

KAN’s Gal Berger reported that, according to Palestinian sources, the Qatari envoy would be arriving in the Gaza Strip over the weekend as planned with the cash grants.

Al-Emadi will stay for several days to follow up on projects by the Qatar Committee, which is located there.

In July, the committee provided $100 each to 60,000 families.

Sources in the Gaza Strip said that the Qatari grant in July was delivered thanks to mediation efforts made by Egypt and the United Nations.

The efforts, the sources said, were in the context of attempts to solidify truce understandings reached between Israel and Hamas earlier this year.

Sydney Dennen attributed to this post.