Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has vowed to help the newly-formed Palestinian national unity government pay public sector salaries in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has vowed to help the newly-formed Palestinian national unity government pay public sector salaries in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, Palestinian resistance movement Hamas said Thursday.

"The deputy head of the Hamas politburo, Ismail Haniyeh, has called the emir of Qatar and asked him to help the [new Palestinian unity] government pay its employees' salaries," Hamas said.

The group added that the Qatari emir had promised to support the new government in this regard.

Clashes erupted in Gaza Wednesday night when a group of civil servants – who had formerly received their salaries from the Hamas government in Gaza – besieged several ATM machines to prevent their counterparts who receive their salaries from Ramallah from withdrawing their monthly pay.

Earlier this week, a new Palestinian unity government was unveiled. The move came in line with a reconciliation deal signed in April between Hamas and the Ramallah-based Fatah movement of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

It is hoped that the deal will end seven years of animosity between the two rival Palestinian factions.