Qatar to fund major sports city project in Gaza

A $25 million sports city project in Gaza City will be launched soon as funding will be provided by Qatar, the Palestinian Minister of Sports, Youth, and Culture Mohammed Al-Madhoun announced, according to the Arabian Business news website on Friday.

The announcement by Madhoun was made during the opening of the football youth league in Gaza adding that the sports project will include an international stadium, sports fields, hotels, offices and an Olympic-sized pool built in the southern part of the city.

Named after the late Ahmad Yasin, Hamas’ prominent spiritual leader who was assassinated by Israel in 2004, the Minister said that the construction of “Yasin City” will be a speedy one.

The visit of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar in Gaza last week turned out to be double-edged as it broke the isolation of the Hamas rulers but disappointed Israel and Palestinian leaders in the West Bank.

Qatar, last month, also launched a $254-million plan to reconstruct and renovate Gaza through constructions deemed as the biggest assistance offered to the Palestinians since it was wrecked by Israeli military attacks four years ago.