GAZA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian spokesman said on Tuesday that the Palestionian national unity government has taken over the administration of the Gaza Strip from the Hamas movement.
"We've considered what happened yesterday and today, an official handover to administrate the Gaza Strip, so we already started practicing the government's missions," Yousef Al-Mahmoud, the spokesman of the national unity government, said at a news conference after the weekly cabinet meeting in Gaza.
"The cabinet meeting stressed gaining back all establishments. This needs great efforts in order to start working on a right basis and correctly resolve all outstanding issues," he added.
He also voiced the government's appreciation for "the important and historic role of Egypt" in brokering the deal to end the internal Palestinian division.
"Chief of the Egyptian intelligence security Khaled Fawzi has arrived in Gaza and will meet with Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah. He is carrying a message from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi that the president backs the efforts of ending division and finalizing reconciliation," he noted.
The spokesman said all government bodies will start working on the urgent missions in response to Gaza's requirements, including water, electricity and the reconstruction work.
"During the cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Hamdallah asked the cabinet ministers to prepare full reports on all the initial needs of the population in the Gaza Strip, in order to improve life there," Al-Mahmoud said.
"The cabinet has formed three committees, including a committee running crossing points," he added.
The Hamas movement said in an official press statement that it has done everything to hand over the administration work, calling for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to cancel sanctions against it.
"We have presented everything required in order to help the government its tasks, missions and responsibilities without hesitation, postponement or delay. In return, President Mahmoud Abbas should take an urgent decision calling off punitive measures taken against the Gaza Strip," the statement said.
In response, Abbas said he will undo his recent measures against Gaza including cutting off salaries and reducing the payment of electricity bill, after a review of the government's work in the coastal enclave.
Islamic Hamas movement and Palestinian President's Fatah party are scheduled to hold an assessment meeting in Cairo next week, where they will discuss the progress of the government's first week of work in Gaza.
"The committees will start its discussions and studying all issues right after the meeting," Al-Mahmoud said.
Earlier in the day, the Palestinian government held its first cabinet meeting in Gaza since Oct. 2014.
Prime Minister Hamdallah and his cabinet ministers as well as chiefs of security arrived in Gaza on Monday, the first visit since December 2014, to take over responsibilities in the coastal enclave.
