Hamas accuses Fatah.

According to Al HAYAT, Hamas announced this week that the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority had arrested five of its members in the Fatah-controlled West Bank saying that such measures did not serve the Palestinian reconciliation. Hamas said in a statement carried by the daily, "There is no need for Fatah to escalate tension; what is needed, [is to focus attention] on the implementation of the Palestinian reconciliation."

Hamas also said "the Palestinian government in the Gaza Strip is the only legitimate government of the Palestinian people. It is one which stood steadfastly before the attempts seeking to target its legitimacy and which were led by the US and fulfilled by Fatah leaderships."

Fatah and Hamas signed the Palestinian reconciliation in May 2011 in Cairo through Egyptian mediation. The reconciliation pact calls for the establishment of a caretaker cabinet that would prepare for legislative and presidential elections within a year. In December 2011, Abbas met Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal in Cairo and the two agreed on a process that could pave the way for the Islamist group to join a reformed Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and for longdelayed Palestinian elections, according to AFP. However the Palestinian pact is yet to be implemented.