Haniya rules out declaring Gaza state

Paris: Hamas leader Esmail Haniya on Saturday ruled out setting up a separate Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip after bloody Hamas militant takeover of Gaza.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas dismissed Haniya as prime minister. Haniya has refused to accept the dismissal.

Asked if he intended to declare Gaza a state after taking control of the territory, Haniyeh said in an interview with France's Le Figaro daily published on Saturday: "No. Gaza
belongs to all the Palestinian people and not just Hamas."

"Separation is not on the agenda and never will be," he added. He also added that Hamas wants a “reciprocal, global and simultaneous truce with Israel''.

Abbas is expected to swear in a new prime minister and emergency cabinet on Saturday, a top presidential aide said. Abbas has tapped Salam Fayyad to serve as prime minister.