Palestinian factions have agreed to form a "government of reconciliation" to administer the Gaza Strip after the war, Chinese media reported on Tuesday.
The agreement was reached during talks in Beijing, which included Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah, Hamas and 12 other factions.
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Fatah's Mahmoud al-Aloul, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Hamas' Mousa abu Marzook
(Photo: Pedro Pardo / AFP)
The declaration was signed at the closing ceremony of the reconciliation dialogue held from July 21-23, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi described the agreement as the "most significant development," noting that an interim government would be established. Hamas later released a statement expressing satisfaction with the "national unity" achieved.
Previous reconciliation agreements between Hamas and Fatah have failed to alter the situation on the ground, and this latest attempt is being met with skepticism within Fatah.
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Fatah's Azzam al-Ahmad and Hamas' Ismail Haniyeh during Palestinian reconciliation talks in China, April
(Photo: AP)
"This is a Chinese public relations effort imposed by China. They are trying to influence the Middle East, but the rift between Fatah and Hamas cannot be bridged," a Fatah official told Ynet.
Beijing has positioned itself as a mediator between the Palestinian factions at a time when its influence in the region is expanding.
Foreign Minister Israel Katz slammed Abbas over the agreement. "Instead of rejecting terrorism, Mahmoud Abbas embraces the murderers and rapists of Hamas, revealing his true face," he wrote on X. "In reality, this won’t happen because Hamas's rule will be crushed, and Abbas will be watching Gaza from afar. Israel's security will remain solely in Israel's hands."