Hamas: West Bank arrests prompt re-evaluation of reconciliation agreement

Hamas has announced that it holds Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas fully responsible for the campaign of arrests targeting Hamas followers in the West Bank last week, and for any repercussions that could result from such campaign.

The movement’s spokesman Abdulrahman Shadid said in a press conference held in Gaza on Tuesday that the arrests carried out by the Palestinian Authority against Hamas members and supporters in the West Bank comes “in the context of a systematic project that aims to eradicate the movement, end the resistance project and subjugate the Palestinian people to the benefit of the occupier’s security and as an embodiment of security coordination.”

During the press conference, held alongside Hamas leading member Sami Abu Zahri, Shadid noted that since the campaign of arrests started on 2 July, the number of detainees has surpassed 200. The detainees come from all social strata, including 37 university students and 98 individuals who had recently been freed from Israeli prisons before getting being again by the PA.

Dozens of the political prisoners, including women, has been summoned by the PA’s security apparatus, he added.

Shadid noted that most detainees have been subject to severe torture, which has led 11 of them to go on an open hunger strike.

Previous detainees have already been on hunger strike, such as Islam Hamed who has been on hunger strike for 89 days now.

Shadid said that the campaign of arrests targets the “Palestinian national project” and the freedom and security of the Palestinian people to the benefit of the occupier.