Moussa Abu Marzouk, deputy head of Hamas' political bureau, said Thursday there would be no change in Gaza's status and no Islamic rule declared in the territory after a near takeover of the seaside strip by the group.
The senior Hamas official also ruled out Hamas separating Gaza from the West Bank.
He said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' decision to fire his Hamas prime minister would complicate matters and that Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh would likely continue on the job.
Hamas' spokesman in the Strip, Sami Abu Zuhri, said that Abbas' decision was legally invalid, because any interim government would have to be based on the current one. He added that the president's decision is likely to have been influenced by American pressure.
Sources in Gaza told Ynet that Hamas has offered the Palestinian factions, including Islamic Jihad, the Popular Resistance Committees, the Popular Front and the Democratic Font for the Liberation of Palestine, to set up a joint committee to run affairs in Gaza in the next few days. It is believed that both the Popular Front and the Democratic Front would refuse the proposal.
Enforcing emergency state
Meanwhile, Abbas has summoned the commanders of the Palestinian security forces in order to discuss ways to enforce the emergency state in the PA. One of the options considered was the establishment of a military committee that would coordinate the forces' activity during the emergency period.
The Palestinian security forces have already began operating in accordance with the state of emergency declared by Abbas, in large parts of the West Bank.
Hamas gunmen in Gaza (Photo: AFP)
Security forces vehicles patrolled the streets of Ramallah and other cities, and hundreds of Hamas members and senior officials have been arrested.
Fatah members have also continued their attacks on Hamas institutions in the West Bank. In Ramallah, the group's gunmen kidnapped Salah al-Aaruri, one of the founders of Hamas' military wing in the West Bank.
Trying to prevent constitutional crisis
The PA is monitoring the situation closely as events continue to develop over the course of the next several hours and days, especially due to the fact that the law only allows Abbas to declare a state of emergency for a period of 30 days. Any extension would require the approval of the Palestinian Legislative Council – which is dominated by Hamas, though most of the faction members are imprisoned in Israel.
Abbas' inner circle is likely to focus on the legal issues apt to ensue the next few days. Hamas meanwhile is holding talks on how best to deal with Abbas' decisions.
Israel too is keeping a close eye on the deteriorating situation in the PA. The Jerusalem police have announced they intend to limit the age of worshippers allowed to attend Friday prayers at the Temple Mount. Entry will be limited to men over 45 and women over 35 years of age and only open to Israeli citizens. Police forces also plan to deploy throughout the area to prevent possible public disturbances.
Fearing riots in security prisons the Israeli Prison Service has also reinforced its lines. Guards in Ktziyot Prison, where 2,500 security prisoners are currently being held, have been put on special alert.
Efrat Weiss and AP contributed to the report