On the Oct. 23, representatives of rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah met in Cairo, under the mediation of Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, to discuss the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. The initial stage saw Hamas release the remaining live hostages, and Israeli forces withdraw to the Yellow Line along Gaza’s perimeter. This time, the focus of the discussions, according to Egypt’s state-affiliated Al-Qahera News, was on “arrangements after ending the war in the Gaza Strip” including Hamas’s disarmament and the establishment of a transitional governing body for Palestine.
According a source cited by Agence France-Presse (AFP), the sides agreed to “continue meetings in the coming period and to work on organizing the Palestinian internal front in the face of the challenges posed by the Israeli government.” Khaled Abu Toameh, a Palestinian journalist and political analyst, reported that Hussein al-Sheikh of the Palestinian Authority and Khalil al-Hayya of Hamas were among those who met in Cairo to discuss the formation of a joint government in Gaza. Moreover, other meetings took place between Egypt’s intelligence chief Hassan Rashad and representatives of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, with the aim of reaching national consensus on Washington’s 20-point peace plan. The Tehran Times published a statement released on Friday, the day after the negotiations, after consultations with the mediators, establishing steps toward “safeguarding the national project and restoring national unity”. First, they called for the withdrawal of Israeli forces, lifting the siege, and opening all borders, including to Rafah, to allow humanitarian and medical aid to enter Gaza. Second, they agreed to hand over the administration of the Strip to a temporary Palestinian committee of independent technocrats working with Arab partners and international institutions.
Although the creation of a technocratic committee represents a big step towards a shared governance, the humanitarian reality continues to deteriorate. Al Jazeera reported on Oct. 25 that two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli shelling east of Deir el-Balah, despite United Nations agencies urging Israel to reopen all crossings into Gaza to ease the severe suffering of civilians. The talks in Cairo were an enormous step towards peace, yet there is an urgent need not only to maintain ceasefire but also to build a foundation for long-term stability through dialogue, unity and justice.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict began in Oct. 2023; the ongoing discussions present a path to transform this tragedy into a durable peace grounded in cooperation and reconstruction. Hamas and Fatah’s history have also divided Palestinian politics for nearly two decades, after Hamas won the Palestinian Authority elections in 2007 and violent clashes left 600 Palestinians dead.
To maintain lasting peace in Gaza, there must be strong motivation from all sides to pursue dialogue, put effort into restoring unity and ensure transparent reconstruction among Palestinian factions. International oversight and persistence must transform this temporary truce into a durable foundation for the protection of civilian life and peace.
