Hamas: Dissolution of prison ministry hinders unity government

Hamas supporters organised a massive rally in the centre of Gaza City on Sunday night calling for Palestinian Authority President (PA) Mahmoud Abbas not to dissolve the Ministry for Prisoner Affairs.

The demonstrators who took part in the rally hailed the sacrifices of the Palestinian prisoners inside Israeli jails and said they were in the streets to send a message of solidarity, especially as the prisoners have now been on hunger strike for more than a month.

Senior Hamas official and former prisoner Tawfiq Abu-Na’eem stated: “After the formation of the unity government, there will be elections and the reformation of the PLO. Then, we will see what the representatives of the Palestinian people decide” on the issue of the prison ministry.

Head of Fatah’s bloc in the parliament Azzam Al-Ahmad said that the unity government would be announced on Monday at 1pm.

However, Hamas spokesperson Sami abu-Zuhri denied reaching any agreement on the timing to announce the government. He also said that Hamas had decided that it would not accept any government without the Ministry for Prisoner Affairs.

Meanwhile, in a phone call with Abbas on Sunday, US Secretary of State John Kerry expressed his concerns about the formation of any Palestinian government that included Hamas.