The Palestinian movement Hamas announced on Sunday morning that it is ready to negotiate with its long-time rival Fatah and to create a reconciliation government together with the movement led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Hamas stated in an official announcement that it agrees to “dissolve the Administrative Committee, transfer the governance of the Gaza Strip to the government of Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, formed on the basis of consensus, and hold parliamentary elections.”
“Hamas calls for the formation of a consensus-based government in Gaza, which will immediately begin to perform its duties, and for the holding of general elections,” the statement reads.
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It adds that Hamas made this announcement in response to Egypt’s efforts aimed at achieving reconciliation and ending long-standing internal Palestinian divisions.
The Palestinian Authority, supported by Western countries and led by President Mahmoud Abbas, which is under Fatah’s control, fought with Hamas over the governance of Gaza in 2007, which ended with Hamas taking control of it.
All previous attempts to reconcile the two movements and form a joint unified government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank have failed.
The movement that violently took over the governance of Gaza in 2007 has now announced that it is ready to meet in Cairo with representatives of Fatah and other factions to form a unified government.
“Hamas is ready to renew dialogue with Fatah to implement the reconciliation agreement from 2011 and to form a unified government together with other Palestinian factions,” the Hamas statement adds.
