Palestinian Authority cuts Hamas lawmakers' salaries amid rising tensions between factions

The Palestinian Authority [PA] has cut off the salaries of Hamas lawmakers in the West Bank, the latest in a series of recent measures that have escalated tensions between the rival factions.

Deputy Parliament Speaker Hassan Khreisheh said on Wednesday that all but 48 lawmakers - mostly Hamas members - received their salaries this week.

President Mahmoud Abbas dissolved the 132-member assembly last month amid accusations from Hamas that the PA leader was cynnically attempting to serve his own faction's interests.

Palestinian officials aligned with Abbas' Fatah movement have threatened further action against Hamas over its refusal to hand over power in the Gaza Strip, even as Israel has sought to preserve calm in and around the blockaded territory.

Last week, the PA withdrew from the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza, which it had been operating as part of a 2017 reconciliation agreement with Hamas.

Tensions between the two Palestinian factions have remained high in recent weeks.

An event commemorating the anniversary of the founding of Fatah - which was due to take place in Gaza on Monday -was cancelled on Sunday as organisers said they faced threats.

Last week, Hamas authorities in the Gaza Strip arrested five men over a raid at the PA's media headquarters, in which valuable equipment was destroyed.

Staff and a PA official initially blamed the raid on Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, but the Islamist movement said disgruntled PA employees were responsible.