Gaza City, Palestinian Territories (ANTARA News/AFP) - Hamas leader Ismail Haniya reshuffled his Gaza-based cabinet on Thursday, appointing a female minister to his government for the first time.

The reorganisation, which the Islamist group announced in a statement, leaves the 15-member cabinet largely unchanged, and does not bring members of any other Palestinian political groups into the government.

It creates for the first time a Hamas ministry for national affairs and a women`s ministry, to be headed by Jamila al-Shanti, the first female minister to be appointed by the Islamist group. (*)

Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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