Hamas denies accusations of hindering Palestinian govt
Hamas called on the unity government to fulfill its obligations toward Gaza
Gazze
By Nour Abu Aisha
GAZA CITY, Palestine
Palestinian group Hamas has denied accusations by rival Fatah movement of hindering the Ramallah-based government from operating in the Gaza Strip.
In a press conference in Gaza City on Monday, Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya called on the unity government to fulfill its obligations toward Gaza.
"Alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza is the duty of the [unity] government, which should not evade from its responsibilities," he said.
On Sunday, two Fatah leaders accused Hamas of hindering the Palestinian government from operating in the Gaza Strip.
Al-Hayya said Palestinian factions and Fatah group have failed to pressure the government to lift its punitive measures against the seaside strip.
In April, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas took a number of punitive measures as a way of piling pressures on Hamas to relinquish its control of Gaza.
The measures included cutting the salaries of Gaza-based employees by 30 percent, reducing the provision of electricity to the territory, and forced retirement of around 6000 employees.
Last month, Hamas and Fatah -- Palestine’s two leading political movements -- signed a landmark reconciliation agreement in Cairo aimed at healing their decade-long rift after Hamas captured Gaza from Fatah in 2007 after days of street fighting.
Despite the signs of warming relations between the two rival factions, the Ramallah-based government has yet to reverse any of the sanctions it had imposed.