According to a joint statement published on the Hamas website, the factions met in Cairo and decided to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a temporary Palestinian committee composed of independent technocrats. The statement said the committee would manage daily affairs and essential services in cooperation with Arab partners and international institutions.
The factions also agreed to coordinate a unified stance to confront the challenges facing the Palestinian cause. The statement called for a meeting of all political forces to agree on a national strategy and to revitalize the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
Hamas is not part of the PLO, which remains dominated by its long-time rival, Fatah.
A source told AFP on Thursday that delegations from Hamas and Fatah had met in Cairo to discuss the second phase of a US-backed ceasefire plan in Gaza. The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said both sides agreed to continue meetings in the coming weeks to strengthen internal unity and organize the Palestinian political front against Israeli actions.
Egypt’s intelligence chief, Hassan Rashad, also met senior representatives from key Palestinian factions, including Islamic Jihad, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
Hamas and Fatah have a long and often hostile history that dates back to the aftermath of the 2006 Palestinian elections, when fighting broke out between the two sides. Their rivalry has repeatedly undermined efforts to achieve Palestinian national unity.
In December 2024, both groups had agreed to form a joint committee to administer post-war Gaza, but the arrangement faced criticism, especially from within Fatah.
Hamas, which seized control of Gaza in 2007, has stated that it does not seek to govern the territory after the conflict but has resisted calls to disarm its fighters.
