DOHA, Qatar (AFP) – The gas-rich Gulf state of Qatar said yesterday it was giving 50 million dollars in aid to the cash-strapped Hamas-led Palestinian government, the official QNA news agency said.

The payment “represents Qatar’s contribution to support the budget of the Palestinian Authority, based on a decision taken at the Khartoum summit (of Arab leaders) in March,” QNA said quoting a foreign ministry official.

Oil-rich Gulf countries Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates promised last week a total of 80 million dollars to the Palestinian Authority.

The Palestinian government has been tight on cash since the stunning win by Hamas in January’s legislative election, which prompted the international community to end direct aid to the Authority.

The European Union, which is the Palestinian Authority’s main source of funding with 500 million euros (around 610 million dollars) annually in aid, suspended aid to the Palestinians on April 11.

The United States and EU have demanded that Hamas renounce violence, recognise Israel and respect former Israeli-Palestinian agreements as preconditions for aid.