Hamas criticises Abbas for continuing punitive measures against Gaza

Hamas said yesterday that there is no reason for Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas to delay cancelling his punitive measures against the Gaza Strip, Al-Resalah newspaper reported.

Members of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) have pointed out that the PA’s punitive measures against the Strip, such as cutting civil servants’ salaries, cutting electricity and limiting medical services and funds, have hit young professionals and the poor the hardest.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said that Abbas should have cancelled punitive measures against Gaza as soon as Hamas dissolved the administrative committee of Gaza, which he claimed was the reason for such measures.

Since then Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas has only hailed this measure, but has not yet cancelled punitive measures in place against Gaza.

Read more: Hamas fearful after PA’s delay to implement reconciliation

Fatah spokesman Jebril Al-Rajoub has called on Hamas and Fatah not to discuss the issue of salaries and security of Gaza because this would damage the agreement between both movements.

Barhoum called on Fatah to ask its spokespeople to stop making remarks that would “complicate” reconciliation.