The rival Palestinian Fatah and Hamas groups reportedly agreed to form a joint committee to administer the Gaza Strip after the war, reports revealed on Tuesday, following talks in the Egyptian capital Cairo.
The London-based Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed said Tuesday it obtained a document signed by both Hamas and Fatah during talks held in Cairo since Saturday. They agreed on the formation of the so-called “Community Support Committee” to take charge of “administering the Gaza Strip, reporting to the Palestinian government and responsible for all areas (health, economy, education, agriculture, service and vital facilities), including relief work, addressing the effects of the war and reconstruction.”
While neither Hamas nor Fatah officially commented on the alleged agreement, negotiators from both sides confirmed to Agence France-Presse on Tuesday that the rival groups had indeed agreed to create the committee.
According to the sources, Fatah’s delegation to Cairo was headed by Azzam al-Ahmad, a member of the party’s Central Committee, while Khalil al-Hayaa, a member of Hamas' political bureau, led the Hamas delegation. Ahmad is expected to return to Ramallah on Tuesday to seek the PA’s approval, the sources added.
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