This is the second reshuffle for the Ramallah-based government which was first established in June 2007 under Salam Fayyad.

In the new government, Fayyad is expected to lose his post as finance minister. Other changes include a new portfolio for Jerusalem while the education ministry will be split from the higher education post.

Expected changes will add personalities affiliated to Fatah, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Palestinian Democratic Union (Fida) and independent figures.

The cabinet will be committed to the outgoing cabinet's agenda of building institutions and ending occupation.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum wrote on Facebook that President Mahmoud Abbas was introducing a reshuffle that "reflects an insistence on misconduct and maintenance of illegitimacy and disagreement."

"This patching policy will not bring any benefit to the Palestinian people and won’t be helpful because it is not approved by the Palestinian Legislative Council. What starts wrong ends wrong," he added.

"This step is a violation of the Doha declaration and the Cairo agreement which maintained that Abbas should immediately start forming a unity government headed by him.

"Thus, we believe the right solution is to start forming a unity government and overcome obstacles taking advantage of the positive atmosphere which prevailed during the prisoners’ hunger strike," the spokesman continued.

Hamas and Fatah party leaders meeting in Doha in February decided to form a unity government headed by the president, in order to implement the reconciliation deal between their factions signed last year in Cairo.

The position of Abbas in the proposed joint cabinet caused uproar in Hamas ranks. The deal was later shelved, with both factions blaming the other for the impasse.