Hamas denies accusations of hindering Palestinian govt

By Nour Abu Aisha

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – 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.