Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has ordered workers to transfer NIS 175 million in cash to Gaza. Olmert's order came at the request of Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton. The issue was discussed in a meeting between Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. Barak and Livni objected to the transfer, expressing concern that the money could end up in the hands of Hamas. Shas head Eli Yishai criticized the move as well. “This is an awful decision. The ceasefire is virtual, Gilad [Shalit] is still in captivity, and we are supplying oxygen to Gaza. Under these circumstances we would do better to cut off the oxygen to these terrorists,” he declared. Israel has for the most part refrained from transferring cash to Gaza since Hamas seized control of the area in 2007, for fear that the funds would be used by Hamas to purchase weapons. Olmert has occasionally approved the transfer of cash in order to pay the salaries of employees loyal to the Fatah-led PA based in Ramallah and to keep Gaza banks from collapse. Olmert's staff defended his decision to approve another cash transfer, saying the money belonged to the Fatah-led PA and would be used to pay members of Fatah in Gaza. "Technical transfers of bills to Gaza take place every month as required by international agreements that Israel is obligated to obey,” Prime Minister's Office staff explained. “This is in no way a transfer of money to Hamas.” Staffers accused Olmert's political rivals of creating an unnecessary stir over a routine matter. MK Aryeh Eldad (Ichud Leumi - NU) doubted Olmert's explanation. "Olmert should present us with the agreements that require him to transfer money to Hamas," he said. "If Olmert wants to transfer money to Hamas so badly, he should give them what's left over in the envelopes," Eldad added, in a barbed reference to allegations that Olmert illegally took envelopes full of cash from an American businessman. Egypt Prevents Hamas Cash Smuggling Earlier in the day senior Hamas terrorists were caught attempting to smuggle nine million U.S. dollars and two million euros, the equivalent of roughly 47 million shekels, from Egypt to Gaza. The money stayed in Egypt, along with one of the terrorists.