Fatah and Hamas trade accusations over Gaza aid and West Bank arrests
Disputes over humanitarian work in Gaza and alleged detentions in the West Bank have renewed tensions less than a month after Palestinian unity talks in Cairo.
By Vanessa Lopez ·
Fatah and Hamas have exchanged accusations over humanitarian assistance in Gaza and arrests in the West Bank, exposing renewed tensions less than a month after the factions met in Cairo for Palestinian unity talks. Their recent statements describe disputes involving aid workers, Palestinian Authority employees and released prisoners.
On Monday, Fatah dismissed Hamas’s allegations that the Palestinian Authority was neglecting Gaza’s humanitarian needs, calling them a "disinformation campaign." Fatah accused Hamas of failing to help residents and alleged that it had summoned Palestinian Labor Ministry employees and relief workers in recent weeks, pressuring them to sign commitments that would prevent them from performing their jobs.
Fatah demanded an end to the questioning and pressure on employees, as well as interference with government and relief teams. It said those workers should be allowed to assist residents without threats. The allegations come as winter approaches, with temperatures forecast to drop to 11°C this week and possibly fall to 6°C later in the season.
Heavy rain has already had deadly consequences. According to the Hamas-run Palestinian Civil Defense Agency, five Palestinians, including children, died when a sand embankment fell onto tents in Deir al-Balah after rainfall. Jonathan Veitch, UNICEF’s representative for the Palestinian territories, also warned that rain had flooded tens of thousands of tents.
Complaints about the questioning of Fatah personnel have persisted since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007. In February, Fatah said Hamas had summoned two of its members, Ayman Halawa and Abdelaziz Al-Daour, and condemned the action as divisive. The latest allegations have brought that longstanding dispute into the context of preparations to help Gaza’s residents through winter.
Prof. Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies and the Misgav Institute, described the tensions as "troubling." He said Hamas was obstructing cooperation between Palestinian Authority representatives and international aid organizations in retaliation for arrests of Hamas-affiliated individuals in the West Bank. He also attributed the interference to Hamas’s concern that Fatah could establish a base in Gaza, weakening Hamas and helping bring about its disarmament.
Hamas, meanwhile, accused Palestinian Authority security forces late last month of detaining released prisoners, activists and civilians across the West Bank. The Palestinian Information Center reported the arrests of six released Hamas members: Ahmed Noah Harish, Khaled Brahmeh, Muhammad Abu Farha, Muslim Yasar Ishtayeh, Fawzi Bishkar and Muath Ardaniya. Hamas characterized the arrests as a "revolving door" policy and said the treatment of prisoners added to Palestinian suffering.
