Hamas warns West Bank arrests could derail reconciliation

Ahmad Melhem

Dec 6, 2017

A boy watches as Palestinian Hamas militants take part in a military show ahead of the 30th anniversary of Hamas' founding, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, December 5, 2017. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa - RC1C0AFFCCF0 — A boy watches as Palestinian Hamas militants take part in a military show ahead of the 30th anniversary of Hamas' founding, Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip, Dec. 5, 2017. — REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

عربي

RAMALLAH, West Bank — Rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas moved Nov. 27 to delay the final transfer of power over the Gaza Strip from Hamas to the Palestinian Authority (PA) by 10 days. Under the reconciliation agreement signed in Egypt on Oct. 12, the PA was to take over the Gaza Strip on Dec. 1.

On Dec. 2, Egyptian intelligence services urgently summoned to Cairo Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar and Fatah reconciliation official Azzam al-Ahmad to discuss the obstacles hindering the reconciliation.