Palestinian Health Profession Federation Goes on Strike

People wearing face masks to help fight the spread of the coronavirus walk past shops in a market in Jerusalem's Old City July 6, 2020. (Reuters)
People wearing face masks to help fight the spread of the coronavirus walk past shops in a market in Jerusalem's Old City July 6, 2020. (Reuters)
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Palestinian Health Profession Federation Goes on Strike

People wearing face masks to help fight the spread of the coronavirus walk past shops in a market in Jerusalem's Old City July 6, 2020. (Reuters)
People wearing face masks to help fight the spread of the coronavirus walk past shops in a market in Jerusalem's Old City July 6, 2020. (Reuters)

The Palestinian Federation of Health Profession went on strike on Wednesday. The move covers all health sector workers, except those in the coronavirus treatment department.

This strike is the first practical step by the unions in anger against the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) management of financial affairs.

According to the Union head, Osama al-Najjar, the strike is aimed at protesting against the policy of “humiliating” workers.

In remarks to local radio, he said the strike was not prompted by the failure to pay the salaries of public sector employees, but is rather a rejection of policies adopted by banks that are backed by the Palestinian Monetary Authority (PMA).

He slammed the Ministry of Finance, PMA and the banks, accusing them of “implementing a policy of oppression and humiliation against employees.”

Najjar also called on the government to hold the monetary authority accountable and force the PMA and the Finance Ministry to provide justifications for the fines and interests that they have imposed.

The PA has been unable to pay public salaries, while banks have been collecting its loans and the interest for the payments delays. The PA has pledged to resolve the issue.

The monetary authority’s measures have exacerbated living conditions in Palestine. Many workers have already lost their jobs since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak in early March.

The Palestinian economy was already suffering even before the pandemic. The PA relies on local and foreign grants, aid and loans, as well as taxes, all of which have dropped due to the world's preoccupation with the pandemic.

According to figures by the Finance Ministry, domestic income dropped by 80 percent during the past two months.



Where Do the Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Talks Stand?

Palestinians carry bodies of relatives killed in Israeli strike in Khan Younis on Tuesday. (AP)
Palestinians carry bodies of relatives killed in Israeli strike in Khan Younis on Tuesday. (AP)
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Where Do the Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Talks Stand?

Palestinians carry bodies of relatives killed in Israeli strike in Khan Younis on Tuesday. (AP)
Palestinians carry bodies of relatives killed in Israeli strike in Khan Younis on Tuesday. (AP)

Israeli media has intensified coverage of a potential breakthrough in negotiations with Hamas aimed at securing a temporary ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which could pave the way for more serious talks on a permanent truce, according to both Israeli officials and sources within the Palestinian group.

Hamas sources confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that indirect negotiations are still underway, although no tangible progress has been achieved so far.

They described the process as “ongoing but fluctuating,” citing shifts in momentum due to regional distractions, including the Iranian-Israeli conflict, and the mediators’ engagement with other files they deem more pressing.

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted at possible progress, saying he might dispatch a delegation to resume negotiations and had instructed officials to push forward with talks.

Senior Hamas officials inside and outside Gaza said there have been moments of increased activity in the talks, but no major breakthrough has occurred. However, they acknowledged some progress based on “positive signals” conveyed by mediators regarding a proposal recently advanced by US envoy Steve Witkoff.

The US plan reportedly includes a 60-day ceasefire period during which Israeli hostages held by Hamas would be released in stages.

According to Hamas sources, mediators have assured the group that such a phased release would ensure Israel’s commitment to the ceasefire throughout the full duration of the truce.

Sources have not ruled out the possibility of a “serious breakthrough” in ceasefire negotiations in the coming days, but warned that any progress ultimately depends on Israel’s stance.

“The main obstacle is not just ensuring a 60-day ceasefire,” one Hamas official told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“The real issue is securing clear guarantees that serious negotiations will follow that could lead to a comprehensive agreement to end the war. Israel continues to stall on this point, and that could once again derail the entire process,” they added.

The official dismissed recent Israeli media reports claiming “significant progress” had been made, calling them “nothing but political maneuvering.”

“Everything depends on Israel,” the source told Asharq Al-Awsat. “But so far, the Netanyahu government has failed to offer any clear commitments to ending the war. What’s being circulated in the Israeli media is just part of Israel’s ongoing evasive tactics.”

Hamas sources said mediators had offered reassurances regarding the implementation of a humanitarian protocol and steps to alleviate Gaza’s worsening humanitarian crisis - issues the group says must be addressed alongside any ceasefire arrangement.

Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported Tuesday that unnamed regional sources have pointed to “very significant progress” in negotiations toward a potential hostage deal, which could include a ceasefire and steps to end the war in Gaza.

“The two sides have shown flexibility, but both are wary of the consequences of confronting Iran,” one source was quoted as saying. The report added that the Israeli delegation has yet to travel to Doha out of concern that doing so could slow, rather than accelerate, the pace of negotiations.

According to the newspaper, US officials recently told the families of Israeli hostages that there are “extremely positive signs” of a potential breakthrough.

However, an unnamed Israeli official cautioned that the talks cover far more than just the initial stage of releasing eight to ten living captives. “The issues at hand are much broader and relate to effectively ending the war,” the official said.

Families of the Israeli hostages have been urging the government to prioritize their release and to seize the opportunity presented by the situation with Iran to push for a resolution.