GAZA CITY: The Palestinian Hamas movement yesterday released 17 jailed members of its rival Fatah in a goodwill gesture ahead of reconciliation talks.
Speaking at a graduation ceremony for Hamas police officers in Gaza, deposed Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said Hamas has decided to release “all political prisoners in our custody.” He put the number of those prisoners at “nearly 20.” But Fatah has said dozens of its members have been jailed since Hamas seized the Gaza Strip more than a year ago.
Several hours after Haniyeh spoke, reporters saw 17 Fatah men walking out of prison. “With the release of the 17 political prisoners, we declare an end to political detention in Gaza,” said Taher Al-Nono, spokesman for the Hamas government in the territory.
Haniyeh also called on the Palestinian Authority government headed by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad to take a similar decision to release all political prisoners in the West Bank.
But security forces yesterday arrested 15 Hamas members and loyalists in several West Bank cities. Hamas said in a statement that its members and loyalists were arrested in the cities of Hebron, Nablus, Tulkarm and Jericho.
The developments came as Egypt prepared to host and sponsor a Palestinian national reconciliation dialogue early next month to end bad blood between the two groups after the violent takeover of Gaza and the ensuing separation of authority in the coastal strip and the West Bank.
The Egyptian draft for the dialogue requires the Palestinians to form a unity government, reform their warring security services and hold elections to overcome the crisis.
Hamas wants all the Palestinian factions to participate in the dialogue and has reservations on many points.
— With input from Mohammed Mar’i
