Hamas dropped a figurative bomb on Gaza when it announced Nov. 21 that public employees who had not received salaries in months will be paid with acres of land.

Ziad al-Zaza, a member of the Hamas Political Bureau and a former deputy prime minister, said in coming weeks, employees will receive their entitlements through land distribution. Zaza estimated that the parcels will range from 965 to 1,200 dunums (about 238 to 296 acres) in the north and south of the Gaza Strip. In addition, municipality and electricity debts will be reset as part of a plan to resolve the crisis of salaries and entitlements.

Zaza’s announcement stirred mixed reactions. Mufid al-Hasayneh, minister of public works and housing in the consensus government, said Nov. 21 that Zaza’s decision violates the law and oversteps the consensus government. Hasayneh said Hamas did not consult the government, which will complicate reconciliation and deepen the division between Hamas and Fatah that has existed since 2007.

However, Atef Adwan, head of the economic committee of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), told Al-Monitor, “This idea was put forward a long time ago, and many studies were conducted to ensure its feasibility. The PLC authorized the Palestinian Land Authority to carry out the settlement of the employees’ entitlements.”