Hamas: No rift with Qatar over Fatah reconciliation

Group brushes off talk of tension and praises Qatar for ‘pioneering role’ in improving lives of Palestinians in Gaza.

Gaza Qatar
Hamas has denied any tension in its relationship with Qatar [AP]

Hamas has denied reports hinting that the Palestinian group is dissatisfied with the role of Qatar in the effort to reach reconciliation with Fatah.

Local news media reports on the issue surfaced after Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar recently met youth groups in the Gaza Strip.

In a statement, Hamas has said allegations of the rift are “completely not true” and dismissed talk of any tension.

“It is worth noting Qatar’s role in supporting the steadfastness of the Palestinian people in general and our people in the Gaza Strip, especially in the shadow of the unjust siege,” the statement read.

{articleGUID}

Hamas praised Qatar as having a “pioneering role” in bettering the lives of Palestinians living in Gaza.

“Qatar has carried out dozens of humanitarian projects, reconstruction projects and infrastructure, which was felt by our people and contributed significantly to prevent the collapse of the Gaza Strip during the years of siege.”

The statement mentioned Qatar’s support for Palestinian national reconciliation, noting the Arab Gulf country’s blessings for every effort to heal the rift between Hamas and Fatah.

Earlier this month, Hamas and Fatah signed a reconciliation agreement under the auspices of Egypt, after Hamas agreed to cede power to the Fatah-backed Palestinian Authority government led by President Mahmoud Abbas.

The agreement, which was signed by the two sides in the Egyptian capital Cairo on Thursday, stipulates that legislative, presidential and national council elections should be conducted within one year of its signing.

However, details of the reconciliation deal have not yet been made public.

Source: Al Jazeera