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Palestine reconciliation: Hamas allows West Bank newspaper Al-Quds into Gaza for the first time in six years

Gaza’s ruling party Hamas allows West Bank newspaper Al-Quds to be distributed in the coastal territory in first concrete step towards reconciliation with Fatah

Gaza’s ruling party Hamas allowed West Bank newspaper Al-Quds to be distributed in the coastal territory for the first time in six years yesterday.

It was a step toward implementing reconciliation with the West Bank Fatah government.

The rival governments signed a pact last month calling for a unity government in June and elections at the end of the year.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal met in Qatar on Monday to seal the reconciliation deal.

Hamas agreed to lift the Al-Quds ban, in place since 2008, as a step in the agreement.

The Fatah-dominated West Bank government has banned Gazan papers since 2007.

Hamas spokesman Ihab Ghussein called the gesture a “new initiative in support of Palestinian reconciliation.”

And Fatah spokesman Moustafa Barghouti responded that newspaper bans in both Palestinian territories would be lifted soon.

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