Palestinian officials say Fatah and Hamas are nearing a deal to establish a committee of independent technocrats to govern Gaza, ending Hamas' rule and potentially aiding cease-fire negotiations with Israel.
The rival factions have made several failed attempts to reconcile since Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007. Israel has meanwhile ruled out any postwar role in Gaza for either Hamas or Fatah, which dominates the Western-backed Palestinian Authority.
A Palestinian Authority official confirmed Tuesday that a preliminary agreement had been reached following weeks of negotiations in Cairo. The official said the committee would have 12-15 members, most of them from Gaza.
It would report to the Palestinian Authority, which is headquartered in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and work with local and international parties to facilitate humanitarian assistance and reconstruction.
A Hamas official said that Hamas and Fatah had agreed on the general terms but were still negotiating over some details and the individuals who would serve on the committee. The official said an agreement would be announced after a meeting of all Palestinian factions in Cairo, without providing a timeline.
Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media on the talks. There was no immediate comment from Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until Hamas is dismantled and scores of hostages are returned.
He says Israel will maintain open-ended security control over Gaza and continue to hold corridors within the territory, with civilian affairs in the rest administered by local Palestinians unaffiliated with the Palestinian Authority or Hamas.
No Palestinians have publicly volunteered for such a role and Hamas has threatened anyone from cooperating with the Israeli military.
The United States has called for a revitalized Palestinian Authority to govern both the West Bank and Gaza ahead of eventual statehood.
The Israeli government, which is opposed to Palestinian statehood, is reportedly discussing a postwar plan with the United Arab Emirates, which normalized relations with Israel in 2020 and backs a rival Fatah faction.
The Hamas official said the emerging Palestinian agreement would fulfill one of Israel’s war goals by ending Hamas’ rule in Gaza. It’s unclear if Israeli officials would see it that way.
Previous attempts at unity between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas have fallen apart, often because of competition for power between the two rivals – and there are opponents to the current talks within Fatah.
Jibril Rajoub, secretary-general of Fatah’s central committee, denounced the agreement, saying it was "a mistake that we even accepted the principle of discussing this matter."
He said the arrangement would entrench the division between the West Bank and Gaza by accepting two administrations. He said Hamas should instead let the Palestinian Authority retake administration of the territory. "We represent the unity of the land and the government," he told journalists in the West Bank town of al-Bira.
The Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the occupied West Bank, recognizes Israel and cooperates with it on security matters, a policy that is deeply unpopular among Palestinians, many of whom view it as a subcontractor of the occupation. Israel says the authority has not done enough to combat militancy or curb incitement.
The Hamas official said that the committee would assume its responsibilities after a ceasefire agreement with Israel. American and Arab mediators have spent nearly a year trying to broker such an agreement, but the negotiations have repeatedly stalled.
Israel's genocidal war was triggered by the Hamas incursion on Oct. 7, 2023, that caused around 1,200 deaths and abducted around 250. Some 100 hostages remain inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are dead.
In comparison, Israel has killed over 44,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to local health authorities. The offensive has leveled much of the coastal territory and displaced the vast majority of its 2.3 million residents.
