Senior Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar has called for forming a “national salvation government” in the Gaza Strip, denying the legitimacy of the “consensus government” led by Prime Minister Rami al-Hamdallah. Zahar, the head of Hamas parliamentary bloc, suggested that all parliament members hold an emergency session to discuss the formation of the new cabinet and its functioning mechanism. “Hamdallah’s government is illegitimate,” Zahar said during a meeting of Hamas parliamentary bloc on Wednesday. He also called on the public prosecutor to launch an investigation into what he described as corruption by Hamdallah and his team and their misuse of public funds. The Palestinian government responded angrily to Zahar’s statements, warning against attempts to stir divisions among the Palestinian people. “The government considers recent statements made by Zahar to be a national outburst. Such statements are irresponsible and confirm the inherent animosity against our people and its leadership by some individuals belonging to Hamas,” said government spokesman Youssef al-Mahmoud. “Those, who should be held accountable and subject to trial and investigation, are the ones who harm national reconciliation and the future of the Palestinian people, and who provoke strife through such irresponsible statements,” Mahmoud said, in response to Zahar. Meanwhile, well-informed Palestinian sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Hamas had discussed extensively the possibility of forming a new government in the Gaza Strip, in a move aimed at excluding the current consensus cabinet. However, the movement failed to take practical steps as other Palestinian factions did not welcome the idea, fearing an unfavorable Egyptian reaction. According to the sources, the proposal is still on the table of discussion in an attempt to pressure the Palestinian Authority. The sources stressed that the movement was holding a broad debate about its future and that of the Gaza Strip, in light of the worsening crises, the waning chances for reconciliation, and the decline of financial support.