Thousands of government employees and security officials filled the streets of Gaza on Saturday, burning tires, blocking roads and firing in the air, to protest delays in receiving their salaries.
According to news agencies, the Hamas-led cabinet on Thursday started paying partial salaries to 165,000 civil servants who have not received their full wages for months due to an economic embargo on the Palestinian Authority. The individual payments of $350 come from money donated to the government by Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
But government employees complained that in some cases, the money had not arrived, and in others they were left with nothing after Palestinian banks had deducted commissions and interest and paid off existing loans.
The protesters closed the main road between Gaza City and Khan Younis.
Outside Rafah City, protesters threw stones at the vehicle of Hamas Minister of Culture Attalah Abu Sabh, breaking the windows of the car. Abu Sabh was unharmed, Hamas officials said.
