The Palestinian unity government resigned on Wednesday in a deepening rift with Gaza as the blockaded territory's de facto rulers Hamas held separate, indirect talks with Israel. An aide to president Mahmud Abbas said prime minister Rami Hamdallah "handed his resignation to Abbas", but confusion reigned over when the government was likely to dissolve.
It was also unclear what the next cabinet might look like, reflecting the chaotic period for Palestinian politics. Discussions on forming a new government would include consultations with the various Palestinian factions, including the Islamist Hamas, aide Nimr Hammad said.
The government of technocrats was formed last year to replace rival administrations in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. "The government will continue to function until we have a new one," a Palestine Liberation Organisation official said before the official resignation. "I think what's coming now is the formation of a government with politicians, not a government of technocrats."