Egyptians claim to stop Hamas man smuggling money into Gaza

Friday, February 6. Egyptian border officials say they have stopped a senior Hamas official from entering Gaza with $9m and €2m in his baggage. Ayman Taha was a member of a six-man negotiating group from Hamas who had been in Egypt trying to work out a lasting truce with Israel. They are due to return to Cairo on Saturday to give their response to an Israeli ceasefire proposal.

Although Israel tries to prevent the smuggling of money into the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says he has agreed to a request from Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad to transfer $42.5m into Gaza through official channels. The money will be used to pay 77,000 government officials who remain loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. "This is [the PA's] money and they have the right to decide how to spend it," said a statement from Olmert's office.

Israeli armed forces have expelled protestors and journalists from a Lebanese aid ship that was detained on Wednesday. Though Israel has allowed some medical supplies, including blood donations, from the ship to enter Gaza, the vessel and the rest of its cargo are being held in the Israeli port of Ashdod. A few protestors and journalists are being held by the Israeli police while others have been deported to Lebanon and Syria.

FIRST POSTED FEBRUARY 6, 2009