The ruling Hamas party and Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, have agreed to start negotiations on forming a coalition government, press reports have indicated. "We are on our way to reaching solutions. One of them provides for the creation of national unity government based on the 'national accord' document," Abbas said after meeting Ismail Haniya, the Palestinian prime minister.
Haniya voiced his hope that the talks would be successful. He said the talks would be conducted "on the basis of the prisoners document with the aim of strengthening national unity, lifting the siege on our people and obtaining the release of the ministers and lawmakers" detained by Israel.
Meanwhile, a Palestinian boy died Thursday by Israeli fire in the Central Gaza Strip Bureej Refugee Camp. Medical sources told WAFA that an unidentified boy, of Johr el-Deek area, east of the camp, arrived dead to Shuhda Al-Aqsa Hospital. Many metal bullets penetrated his body, the report added.
