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Some Gazans fear Turkish generosity may come at high price

Turkey’s crucial humanitarian aid and booming economic projects in Gaza could have hidden political motives.

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Palestinian youths take part in a rally in support of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the seaport of Gaza City, June 18, 2013. — REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Since Israel imposed its blockade on the Gaza Strip after Hamas’ victory in the 2006 legislative elections, besieged Gazans have received remarkable regional and international support, including health and infrastructure projects, the rebuilding of destroyed houses and the construction of schools.

Turkey’s presence in this regard owes perhaps to good ties with Hamas, although Turkey has also funded projects in the Fatah-controlled West Bank, most notably the Jenin industrial estate in the north that created 15,000 jobs.

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