BBC Monitoring

Text of report in English by Palestinian Ma'an News Agency website

Gaza, 25 July: Palestine TV started broadcasting again this evening from the Gaza Strip, after a hiatus of more than a month since the Hamas movement took control of the strip.

Journalist Hassan Kashef stated: "The voice of Palestine will not be kept from the Gaza Strip." Kashef started the programme by saying: "We, the voice of Palestine TV, assert the official Palestinian legitimacy of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, the legitimacy of President Mahmud Abbas and the legitimacy of parliament."

Broadcasting had been transferred to Ramallah in the period following Hamas' takeover of the Gaza Strip.

However, the head of TV and broadcast for Palestine TV denied that the situation had returned to normal. Abo Somayah told Ma'an: "We rented an hour from the Ramattan Company in Gaza and we had to broadcast the programme live on air, but we have not regained control of our headquarters."

Source: Ma'an News Agency website, B! ethlehem, in English 1900 gmt 25 Jul 07