Hamas on Tuesday alleged that over 200 of its member had recently been arrested by the Palestinian Authority, with most of them tortured, AFP reported Tuesday.
The allegations were the latest sign of failed reconciliation efforts between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, despite a unity deal signed by the two factions last year.
"Hamas members in the occupied West Bank are being submitted to their worst campaign of arrests -- their biggest and longest," Hamas official Abdurahman Shadid told AFP.
While the Palestinian Authority had not responded to the claims at the time of reporting, one of its officials said last week about 100 had been arrested in the West Bank for alleged plans to attack the PA.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri called the allegations "cover for political arrests."
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was "entirely responsible for these maniacal arrests and the Hamas eradication project to the benefit of the occupier (Israel)," Shadid told AFP.
