Hamas seeks to self-manage Palestinian ministries in Gaza

A senior Islamic Hamas movement official on Thursday said that his movement was seeking to self-manage the various Palestinian ministries responsible for daily affairs in the Gaza Strip.

The move came "after the current Palestinian consensus government of Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah was shunning Gaza Strip and marginalise it," Xinhua quoted senior Hamas leader Sala el-Bardaweel as saying.

Mohamed al-Ghoul, a Hamas lawmaker in the Hamas-controlled Palestinian Legislative Council -- inoperative since 2007 -- said the parliament will convene soon to discuss the issue.

Hamas is the only group that convenes the parliament in Gaza, while other factions, mainly Fatah of President Mahmoud Abbas, boycott the sessions.

Meanwhile, another senior Hamas official on condition of anonymity, said that a relevant administrative committee has been formed.

Hamas violently seized control of the Gaza Strip in the summer of 2007, after weeks of fighting with Abbas' security forces.

Since then, an internal political and geographical division over administrative, financial and security issues has remained between the two sides despite a series of Arab and international mediations.

--IANS

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