Palestinian women staged a protest in Gaza against Middle East peace talks that have resumed after Israeli and Palestinian negotiators agreed for substantive talks.

Hamas parliamentarians, representatives of Hamas women's branch and many Palestinian women and children gathered in Gaza to participate in the protest.

Hamas MP Mushir al-Masri rejected the resumption of the talks as "tantamount to the breakdown of Palestinian reconciliation and an opportunity for Israel to continue with settlement construction and for the Judaization of Al Quds."

Over allegations that Fatah collaborated with the Egyptian government on "a malicious campaign" to besmirch Hamas, Masri said "Fatah must bring before justice those who took part in the smear campaign."

Reca al-Khalabi, a member of the Hamas women's branch, said they would not accept peace talks with Israel while "Palestinian women cannot find medicine and food for their children and Israel continues its blockade on Gaza."

Al-Khalabi also urged Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to withdraw from negotiations, which she claimed that has provided "a legal status to the crimes committed by Israel."

PHOTO CAPTION

White House principal deputy press secretary Josh Earnest speaks during the daily news briefing at the White House, Monday, July 29, 2013, in Washington

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