The Hamas-run Ministry of Endowment, in conjunction with charities and the Gaza police have raised money to pay off debts of more than 350 Palestinians imprisoned in the Gaza Strip over unpaid debts, the ministry’s undersecretary announced today.
Prisoners will be released in coming days as “Redemption for debtors is aimed at freeing prisoners for unpaid debts so [the prisoners] can spend the holy month of Ramadan with their families,” Hasan al-Seifi said during a news conference in Gaza City.
Speakers at the conference stated that unpaid debts up to 6,000 shekels ($1,553) would be forgiven, while a large poster behind the podium stated that debts to be paid would not exceed 7,000 shekels ($1,812).
Government-run project in Gaza pays off prisoners' debts, 350 set to be released https://t.co/lomPy632Pt pic.twitter.com/5M9B3kFUnw
— Ma'an News Agency (@MaanNewsAgency) June 11, 2016
Prisoners are expected to be released from Shajaiyya police center in Gaza City, according to the General Commander of Gaza’s police, Tayseer al-Batsh.
Speakers at the event stated that the debts forgiveness was inspired by teachings of the holy Quran. The move by the Hamas government comes just under a week after Gaza’s interior ministry released 156 prisoners as a goodwill gesture to mark the start of Ramadan.
(MA’AN, PC)
