SIS – Delegations from the Palestinian movements Fatah and Hamas will meet in Cairo for talks yesterday continuing discussions on the process of national reconciliation, according to reports in Palestinian news agencies on Monday9/10/2017.
Several leading figures in Hamas and Fatah will discuss the next steps in reconciliation, including another meeting of all Palestinian factions to activate a reconciliation agreement reached in Cairo in 2015.
Tuesday’s meeting is in response to an invitation earlier this month from Khaled Fawzy, Egypt’s intelligence chief and special presidential envoy.
Fawzy extended the invitation during his visit to Gaza and Ramallah to oversee the implementation of the national reconciliation agreement between Hamas and Fatah.
Egypt opened the Rafah border crossing on Monday to allow passage of the Palestinian delegations, Ma’an news agency reported.
The Hamas delegation will be led by the deputy head of the political bureau Saleh Al-Arory, with the participation of the head of the movement in Gaza Yahia Al-Senwar, among other leading members, WAFA news agency reported.
The Fatah delegation will be headed by central committee member Azzam Al-Ahmed, with the participation of Palestinian intelligence chief Maged Farag and other leading figures, WAFA added.
The reconciliation talks started in Cairo in September, with senior figures in both Palestinian movements taking part.
As a first step on the path to Palestinian reconciliation, Hamas agreed to hand over power in the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian unity government.
Last week, Prime Minister Rami El-Hamdallah chaired the first meeting of the Palestinian cabinet in Gaza for three years.
Hamas seized the Gaza Strip in 2007 after fighting with Fatah forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas and has ruled the besieged strip of 2 million people since then.
