Hamas, Fatah sign unity agreement brokered by China

Palestinian political groups Hamas and Fatah have agreed to form a future government, the groups said on Tuesday. The agreement came through in Beijing after three days of negotiations moderated by China. 

It's yet another attempt at resolving a years-long rivalry between the two groups that has cast a shadow on options to rule Gaza after the Israel-Hamas war. 

In light of these dark times, "there needs to be unity," said Issam Bakr, from the West Bank, in a video shared with CBC News. Bakr is a member of the political bureau of the socalist Palestinian People's Party.

The declaration comes at a tense time, as the war in Gaza stretches into its 10th month and Israel and Hamas weigh a U.S.-Egypt backed ceasefire proposal that would see the war end and release the remaining hostages held by Hamas.

Few details on implementation

The two groups issued a joint statement announcing the deal, but provided no details on its implementation, or when the government would be formed. Similar declarations have previously failed, leading to doubts about the legitimacy of the move. In the announcement, both sides said this was only an "initial step." 

"There is an opportunity, but it's not big, because it lacks a specific timetable for implementation," Hani Al-Masry, an expert on Palestinian reconciliation affairs, told The Associated Press. 

Bakr hopes the decision will translate to real changes on the ground.

"I hope the announcement creates a state of geopolitical unity between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and ends the split through legitimate and serious steps."

Two rivals at odds for decades

Hamas was elected in Gaza in 2006. Fatah had been the ruling party before then; today, it controls parts of the occupied West Bank through the Palestinian Authority. 

The two groups have been at odds since that election, as Hamas believes in armed resistance against Israel, while Fatah believes in peaceful negotiation.

Hamas within Gaza is currently led by Yahya Sinwar, who's thought to be the mastermind behind the attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7. Fatah, meanwhile, is led by Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian state. 

Fatah was co-founded in the 1950s by then-leader Yasser Arafat. Formally known as the Palestinian National Liberation Movement, the party began seeking a two-state solution with Israel in the 1980s and has since encouraged diplomatic ways to deal with the conflict.

Ramzi Rabah, member of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), called the announcement a "positive move." The PLO is a political group that aims to represent Palestinians worldwide. Formed in 1964, it looks to centralize Palestinian groups that operated as separate movements at the time. 

"The national decision in China came to agreements that created an advanced step on the path to restoring unity [between political groups]," Rabah said. 

Israel denounces pact

Israel and the U.S. both denounced the pact. The United States has refused to accept any Palestinian government that includes Hamas, unless the group also recognizes Israel. This has been a thorn in previous attempts to unite Palestinian groups, in addition to infighting among them. 

In a post on X, Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz said the agreement "won't happen."

He criticized Abbas for "embracing the murders and rapists of Hamas" and "revealing his true face." He said the agreement would fall through "because Hamas's rule will be crushed." 

"Israel's security will remain solely in Israel's hands," he said.

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Israel opposes any role in governing for Hamas, which it vowed to destroy after the group led the Oct. 7 attacks that left 1,200 dead and over 200 hostages taken into Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's responding ground and air offensive has left 39,000 dead, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Israel has also rejected U.S. calls for the Palestinian Authority to govern Gaza after the war ends.

Hamas officials have said the group does not want to return to ruling the Gaza Strip and advocates for forming a government that would be agreed upon by the various Palestinian factions. Afterwards, that government would prepare for elections in Gaza and the West Bank with the intention of forming a unified government to lead both parts of the Palestinian territories. 

"It's a long way ahead, and most of it will be implemented after a possible ceasefire," Jamal Nazzal, a Fatah spokesperson, told The Associated Press.