The Palestinian Authority (PA) intends to impose new sanctions on Hamas involving money transfer companies in the Gaza Strip. Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar revealed Jan. 29 that the Palestine Monetary Authority (PMA) in Ramallah, the West Bank, told its licensed money transfer companies that the PMA plans to end or reduce its work in Gaza by the end of February.
The PA has long pressured Hamas to give up the movement's control of the Gaza Strip. Reconciliation efforts have failed.