Hamas may potentially receive up to $400 million in debt relief under the 15-point Gaza Board of Peace (BoP) plan, KAN News reported on Tuesday.
The report is based on Article 5 of the agreement, which KAN described as containing vague wording that says the money will be transferred to "suppliers and contract holders," without specifically stipulating that such recipients cannot be related to the terrorist organization.
The BoP confirmed the language of the agreement, according to KAN, but insisted that the funds "will not cover corruption, financial mismanagement, or anything related to the organization's terrorist record."
A BoP source further told KAN that the funds would only be transferred to public employees "who have not received payment (from Hamas), or to suppliers and contractors who provided services to the population and are still entitled to the money."
BoP Director-General disputes claims of funding for Hamas
On Wednesday, BoP Director-General Nikolay Mladenov disputed the KAN report, saying on X/Twitter that "such a proposal has not been discussed, negotiated, considered, and will not be on the agenda in the future."
"Hamas will have no role in the Gaza administration and will have no access to funds," Mladenov wrote.
"The Peace Council’s funds are not channeled through Hamas. Every contract is vetted and approved, every work is verified before payment, and all accounts are open to full scrutiny by the donor governments."
"The International Stabilization Force is designed to support disarmament and the establishment of a civilian government in which Hamas has no part," he added. "This has been our position from the beginning and has not changed."
Mladenov concluded by noting that the issues facing Gaza are challenging enough as it is, saying, "there is no need to invent more."