Hamas calls on Abbas to stop punishing Gaza

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said: “Friedman’s description of the Palestinian reactions … reflects this ambassador’s racism, his ignorance of history as well as his disregard for Palestinian rights and international law”.

Hamas Spokesman Fawzi Barhoum called on the Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas to revoke measures taken against the Gaza Strip after his movement dissolved the administrative committee, Quds Press reported yesterday.

Abbas should “immediately” allow the government of Rami Hamdallah to bear its responsibilities in the Gaza Strip “without any procrastination”, Barhoum stressed.

In April, Abbas began imposing a number of measures on the besieged Gaza Strip included reduction PA payments for the electricity supplied by Israel to the enclave, reduction of medicine shipments and medical referrals, slashing salaries of Gaza’s civil servants and forcing thousands of them in to early retirement.

Read: PA employees protest against forced early retirement

Abbas said that these measures had been taken in response to the formation of the administrative committee by Hamas in Gaza.

On Sunday, Hamas announced the dissolution of the committee and agreed on the return of Abbas military guards to run the Rafah Crossing, as well as accepted to hold general elections.

Abbas hailed Hamas’ measures.

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