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Unity govt meets in Gaza amid public employee protests


Dozens of Palestinian civil servants protested Thursday in front of the government's headquarters in the Gaza Strip demanding paychecks they have not received for several months, as Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah finished a rare visit to the coastal enclave.

Prime Minister Hamdallah pledged that Palestinian factions would "work fast" to find solutions to issues facing Gaza on Thursday, on the second day of what is only his second visit to Gaza since the formation of a national unity government between Fatah and Hamas in June.

As Hamdallah and his accompanying delegation left Gaza Strip on Thursday evening, spokesman Ehab Bseiso emphasized that future solutions discussed during the short trip will be comprehensive, including electricity, employment, and reconstruction.

Hamdallah vowed yesterday in Gaza that civilian workers of Hamas' de facto administration in Gaza would be enlisted to the payroll of the Palestinian Authority.

Head of the employees' union, Muhammad Siyam, said that the union will continue to demand the employees' rights, adding that a meeting between the employees' representatives and Hamdallah will be held on Thursday to discuss solutions for the crisis. more

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