Hamas, Fatah sign deal on Palestinian reconciliation
Rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah signed an agreement yesterday on ending a decade-long split following talks mediated by Egypt in Cairo, with president Mahmud Abbas calling it a “final” accord.
Under the agreement, the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority is to resume full control of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip by Dec. 1, according to a statement from Egypt’s intelligence agency, which oversaw the talks.
Abbas welcomed the deal in comments to Agence France-Presse and said he considered it a “final agreement to end the division.”
Still, many details remain to be resolved and previous reconciliation attempts have repeatedly failed.
The deal was signed in Cairo by new Hamas deputy leader Salah al-Aruri and Azzam al-Ahmad, the head of the Fatah delegation for the…